# Scott Semple > Use the best of what other sports have already figured out. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Hello. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/about/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T22:10:17.000Z Since 1996, I've pursued mountain sports from multiple perspectives: as a prairie-born beginner, a sponsored climber, a national-level skimo racer, a coach, and a lifelong student of endurance and performance. [My coaching philosophy](https://www.scottsemple.com/influences-acknowledgments/) was greatly influenced by Scott Johnston over the course of a 20-year dialogue on endurance training. I worked with Scott at Uphill Athlete before joining him again at Evoke Endurance in 2026\. That same year, I became a [Hintsa](https://www.hintsa.com/?ref=scottsemple.com)\-Certified Coach, broadening my perspective beyond training to the wider factors that influence long-term performance. My coaching focus is competitive mountain endurance—particularly skimo, trail running, FKTs, and speed ascents—and occasional experiments in under-served sports. This site is where I think in public. I write about training, mountain sports, coaching, and the occasional idea that doesn’t fit neatly into any of those categories. If you’d like to follow along, [subscribe by email](https://www.scottsemple.com/#/portal/free) or use [the RSS feed](https://www.scottsemple.com/rss). --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/07/bio-collage.webp) --- ## Coaching Highlights - A doctor ran an FKT of El Tiede on Tenerife. - A project manager won the Breaks Ultra. - A 51-year-old lawyer ran an 80-minute half-marathon. - A former Marine and vintner increased his aerobic threshold heart rate by 23%. - A CIO and father of four climbed the Grand Teton in a day. ## Athletic Highlights - Represented Canada at the ISMF World Championships - Increased my anaerobic & aerobic threshold paces by 21% & 27% over six years - Climbed 5.13c, M9, and a lot of WI6+ - Set multiple speed records in the Ruth Gorge of Alaska - Made several difficult first ascents in the Canadian Rockies --- For mountain sport coaching inquiries, please email [coach@evokeendurance.com](mailto:coach@evokeendurance.com) or fill out [the Evoke Endurance Intake Form](https://evokeendurance.com/coaching-intake/?ref=scottsemple.com). (If you want to have an intake interview with me in particular, say so in your notes.) For any other questions or comments—or for an introduction to Hintsa Performance—please [get in touch](https://www.scottsemple.com/contact/). ### Get in touch. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/contact/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T12:45:35.000Z No form? Try [this](https://letterbird.co/scott-semple?ref=scottsemple.com). For mountain sport coaching inquiries, please email [coach@evokeendurance.com](mailto:coach@evokeendurance.com) or fill out [the Evoke Endurance Intake Form](https://evokeendurance.com/coaching-intake/?ref=scottsemple.com). ### Climbing & Skiing CV URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/climbing-skiing-cv/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T16:41:18.000Z ## Skimo Racing - Competed at the 2019 [ISMF](http://www.ismf-ski.org/?ref=scottsemple.com) World Championships as a member of the Canadian National Team; - A national-level competitor in Canada, consistently placing in the top ten. Finished the 2019 season as 6th overall; - Numerous first place finishes in the 40-49 Masters category; - Completed the Wapta Traverse (\~40km and \~2,000m of gain) in 7h 54m. ## Alpine Climbing I climbed almost full-time between 1999 and 2006\. That resulted in several first ascents and speed records. I was sponsored by [Black Diamond](http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/?ref=scottsemple.com), [SCARPA](http://www.scarpa.com/?ref=scottsemple.com), [Grivel](http://www.grivel.com/?ref=scottsemple.com), [Metolius](https://www.metoliusclimbing.com/?ref=scottsemple.com), [Clif Bar](https://www.clifbar.com/?ref=scottsemple.com), and [Adidas Eyewear](https://www.adidaseyewear.com/?ref=scottsemple.com). | Route | Grade | Location | Notes | Partners | | ----------------------- | ----------- | ------------- | ----------------- | ---------------- | | *DTCB* | V M7R | Mt. Andromeda | 1st ascent, 18h | Slawinski | | *The Japanese Route* | V | Mt. Alberta | 1st winter ascent | Slawinski, Walsh | | *Striving for the Moon* | VI WI6 | Mt. Temple | 2nd ascent, 36h | Thaczuk, Walsh | | *The Rooster Comb* | AK5 A2 WI6 | Ruth Gorge | 3rd ascent, 24h | Walsh | | *Shaken, Not Stirred* | AK3 WI4+ | Moose's Tooth | 5h45m | Walsh | | *Ham & Eggs* | AK3 WI4 | Moose's Tooth | 4h30m | Walsh | | *Great Western* | V M7 WI5R | Mt. Stephen | 1st ascent | Owens | | *Howse of Cards* | VI M7- WI6X | Howse Peak | 1st ascent | Gadd, Mahoney | | *Spinstone* | V M7R | Bugaboos | 1st ascent | Isaac | ## Rock Climbing After alpine climbing, I focused on sport climbing between 2006 and 2011\. I redpointed 13c and flashed 12c. | Route | Grade | Location | Notes | | ----------------------- | ----- | ----------------- | -------- | | *Army Ants* | 13c | Acephale, AB | redpoint | | *Naissance de la Femme* | 13b | Acephale, AB | redpoint | | *The Silver Rocket* | 13a | Prairie Creek, AB | redpoint | | *Shep's Diner* | 13a | Grotto Canyon, AB | redpoint | | *Jason Lives* | 13a | Lake Louise, AB | redpoint | | *Illy Down* | 12c | Acephale, AB | flash | | *Le Bleu du Ciel* | 12b | Acephale, AB | onsight | | *Spicy Elephant* | 12b | Atlantis, AB | flash | | *Evil Cheese Wiener* | 12a | Ten Sleep, WY | onsight | | *Acid Test* | 12a | Skaha, BC | onsight | ### Latest URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/latest/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T16:50:31.000Z _No content available._ ### What is skimo racing? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/what-is-skimo-racing/ Last updated: 2025-02-27T15:35:00.000Z Skimo Racing 101 from NBC Sports ## Transcript > Strength, stamina, focus, and agility: Key attributes for athletes competing in the \[skimo racing\] events, an Olympic event for the first time at Lausanne 2020. > Athletes race over snow-covered terrain in testing conditions, combining both skiing and mountaineering. It's a race, and the first to cross the finish line wins. > Athletes compete in three different events. The shortest is the sprint, a race for individuals. The athletes go up the course on skis and on foot. Then, it's down to the bottom on skis as fast as possible—the first to get down wins. > The individual event is longer. Endurance and stamina are tested here in a race lasting up to 90 minutes. The course is made up of three ascents and three fast and furious descents. The first to get down wins. > The relay event features teams of four, two men and two women. This time with two ascents and two descents. Again, it's a race with the first team to finish taking the gold. > The equipment in \[skimo racing\] is different. The skis feature detachable skins, which allow the athletes to ski uphill without sliding backward. The skis are also lighter, which makes them easier to carry for the sections on foot. Ski boots are also adapted for quick opening which makes it easier and faster for athletes to switch between uphill and downhill sections of the course. > In short, \[skimo racing\] is a test of balance, decision-making, and razor-sharp reflexes. ### Downloads URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/downloads/ Last updated: 2025-09-11T15:36:31.000Z ## How to Design a Training Plan _This page is for subscribers only._ ### AI Declaration URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/ai-declaration/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T13:32:22.000Z [![The Not By AI logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/07/Written-By-a-Human-Not-By-AI-Badge-black@2x-2.png)](https://notbyai.fyi/hi/sagittura/?ref=scottsemple.com) --- ## The 90% Rule The 90% Rule demands that at least 90% of the content must be created by humans. You can read more about [the Not By AI 90% Rule](https://notbyai.fyi/help/what-is-the-not-by-ai-90-rule?ref=scottsemple.com) or check out [the human review](https://notbyai.fyi/app/scottsemple-com/?ref=scottsemple.com). ## How I use AI I use AI a lot, but never to generate anything that I would copyright under my own name and never as a de facto source. (AI is as impressive as it is, on occasion, shockingly stupid.) I view undisclosed AI ghostwriting as intellectual fraud. In particular, I use ChatGPT and Claude for: 1. Preliminary research; 2. [Inspiration](https://notbyai.fyi/hi/sagittura/img/sagittura3.png?ref=scottsemple.com); 3. Editing and proofreading, never for ghostwriting; 4. Generating boilerplate legalese and marketing copy; and 5. Challenging my own thinking with questions like, "In what ways could I be wrong about this? What other factors am I not considering?" ## Why an AI Declaration is Important The paid versions of LLMs have quickly become more useful than Google search while avoiding the distractions of advertising and biased search results. But if it's used to generate material, [it may eventually start referencing itself](https://notbyai.fyi/?ref=scottsemple.com#not-by-ai-mission) with ridiculous results... Released in 1996, **Multiplicity* was way ahead of its time. Watch the clip above to see what happens when technology starts using itself as a source. ## How You Can Help Ask the sites you visit: 1. "What percentage of your content is AI-generated?" 2. "What type of content is AI-generated?" 3. "Has your content been reviewed by a third-party?" Most importantly, challenge them to stay below [the 90%-human threshold](https://notbyai.fyi/help/what-is-the-not-by-ai-90-rule?ref=scottsemple.com) and fly the [Not By AI](https://notbyai.fyi/?ref=scottsemple.com) flag. --- [![The Not By AI logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/07/Written-By-a-Human-Not-By-AI-Badge-black@2x-2.png)](https://notbyai.fyi/hi/sagittura/?ref=scottsemple.com) ### Testimonials URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/testimonials/ Last updated: 2026-05-30T17:46:04.000Z ## Skimo Racing #### ***If we've made this kind of progress in 4 months** *, then I look forward to what can be done over the course of a couple of years.* #### I can't thank you enough. ****I have learned an immense amount about how structured training works** and how beneficial it can be. #### Just wanted to say thanks for a good year so far. I've learned a ton about training. And racing. And other things too - ****you're full of good advice**. ## Running #### **It's so much fun working with you.* ***The FKTs are just a bonus.** *The feeling of being fast, pushing myself to new limits, is the most rewarding.* —TS, after running 53 km with 4,000 m of gain in 6h 17m #### **Thanks for all your help. What you had me do paid big benefits.* ***I crushed the course** *in 10h20min* ***and came in 1st.** —RD, after a 45-mile race with 12,000' of gain #### **Thanks so much for your really great coaching.* ***This last training period was perfect** *—there isn’t a thing I would have done differently.* —EF, before a personal best in the half-marathon ## Climbing #### **I was with a former professional cyclist half my age and a guide.* ***I could have pushed faster than either of them at any phase of the day.** —RP, after the Grand Teton in a day #### **Working with you has shown the scope of improvements possible.* ***If four months can result in this much** *, what will 4 years be like?* —MN, while training for the Himalayas #### ***Your coaching has taken my training up to a new level.** —TD, while training for Aconcagua ### The Skimo Cheat Sheet URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/32-tips/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T01:05:58.000Z Sign in to download 32 Tips. _This page is for subscribers only._ ### From Geek to Freak URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/from-geek-to-freak/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T02:31:38.000Z Skimo is geeky, and the fitness is freaky. *From Geek to Freak* is a systems approach to skimo racing. Over six years, I compiled [training theory, philosophy, and best practices](https://www.scottsemple.com/all/bibliography/) from a broad selection of sports into a system that increased my threshold speeds by nearly 30%. I then applied those same methods as a coach, and the results included several personal bests, race wins, and FKTs. Now I’m turning those methods into a framework that you can use to do the same. Here you'll find draft chapters of A*rrowhead Endurance*, organized into the following sections: ## Set up the scaffold. For most people, exercise is expendable. But for athletes, training is mandatory. To ensure long-term development, your life has to support your training and—too often—protect it from ignorance. ## Plan your performance. A specific goal isn't served by a generic plan. Maximizing performance starts with understanding the nature of the event, knowing your current abilities, and having realistic expectations. ## Start at the extremes. Modern training is multi-dimensional and concurrent, not linear and contiguous. Six components—strength, speed, duration, execution, time, and attention—must first be maximized before they can be utilized. ## Bridge the gap. Effective training is structured and progressive, not random and recreational. Every workout is a brick in the wall, building on what came before and supporting what must come after. ## Arrive and thrive. Performing your best is a skill. Like any skill, it must be practiced. Hope, as they say, is not a strategy. ## Rest, recover, repeat. Training and racing take their toll. And the greatest good happens over the longest timeline. To go the distance, you need to take breaks—of the right type and at the right time. ## Get first drafts. Fewer mistakes, less gear, better racing. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Skimo Survival Guide URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/the-skimo-survival-guide/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T12:16:54.000Z ## Get first drafts. Fewer mistakes, less gear, better racing. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### All About the Frown URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/all-about-the-frown-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T12:18:27.000Z ## Get first drafts. Fewer mistakes, less gear, better racing. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Bibliography URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/bibliography/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T14:28:54.000Z ## Climbing - *Climbing Your Best*, Heather Reynolds Sagar - *Deep Play*, Paul Pritchard - *Extreme Alpinism*, Mark Twight - *Flash Training*, Eric Hörst - *How to Climb 5.12*, Eric Hörst - *Nine out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes*, Dave MacLeod - *One Move Too Many*, Thomas Hochholzer & Volker Schoeffl - *Performance Rock Climbing*, Dale Goddard & Udo Neumann - *The Rock Climber's Training Manual*, Anderson - *The Self-Coached Climber*, Dan Hague & Douglas Hunter - *Training for the New Alpinism*, Scott Johnston & Steve House - *Training for the Uphill Athlete*, Scott Johnston, Steve House, & Kilian Jornet ## Combat - *Becoming the Black Belt*, Roy Dean - *On Combat*, David Grossman & Loren Christensen - *The Martial Apprentice*, Roy Dean - *Warrior Mindset*, Michael Asken, Dave Grossman, & Loren Christensen ## Cycling - *The Power Meter Handbook*, Joe Friel - *Training & Racing with a Power Meter*, Hunter Allen & Andrew Coggan ## Endurance - *Endure*, Alex Hutchinson - *The Haywire Heart*, Christopher Case, John Mandrola, & Lennard Zinn - *How Bad Do You Want It?*, Matt Fitzgerald - *Racing Weight*, Matt Fitzgerald - *Secrets of Lactate*, Jerry Cosgrove ## Motorsports - *Master the Art of Kart Driving*, Terence Dove - *The Motor Racing Checklist*, Suellio Almeida - *The Racecraft Checklist*, Suellio Almeida - *Speed Secrets*, Ross Bentley ## Philosophy - *Mastery*, Robert Greene - *Mastery*, George Leonard ## Running - *Basic Training Principles*, John Davis - *Iron War*, Matt Fitzgerald - *The Lore of Running*, Tim Noakes - *Modern Training & Physiology*, John Davis - *The Science of Running*, Steve Magness - *A Scientific Approach to the Marathon*, Enrico Arcelli & Renato Canova - *Training for the Uphill Athlete*, Scott Johnston, Steve House, & Kilian Jornet ## Shooting - *Accuracy & Precision for Long Range Shooting*, Bryan Litz - *Long Range Shooting*, Ryan Cleckner ## Skimo Racing - *The Manual for Ski Mountaineering Racing*, Eric Carter & Stano Faban - *Training for the Uphill Athlete*, Scott Johnston, Steve House, & Kilian Jornet ## Speed Skating - *How to Skate a 10K*, Nils van der Poel ## Strength - *The Block Training System*, Yuri Verkhoshansky - *Kettlebell: Simple & Sinister*, Pavel Tsatsouline - *Special Strength Training Manual for Coaches*, Yuri Verkhoshansky ## Swimming - *The Science of Winning*, Jan Olbrecht ## Triathlon - *The Well-Built Triathlete*, Matt Dixon ### powered by grief URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/powered-by-grief/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T22:17:46.000Z In 2022, I lost my oldest son. He died by suicide when he was 18. It felt like my life and my brain were split in two. There was The Time Before and The Time After. The person from The Time Before had interests, memories, and skills that the person in The Time After no longer cared about or valued. I was living in someone else's body and someone else’s life. Since his death, my two selves have become more integrated. My long-standing interests have resurfaced, but along with very different priorities. Performance and the principles behind it are still a focus, but they’re secondary to what I’ll eventually leave behind. For me, that’s writing. That’s why this site exists. ### Home URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/home/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T14:13:12.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/08/Jeff-on-the-Wapta-gradient30-centered.jpg) ## I write about training and performance. [Start reading](https://www.scottsemple.com/archive/) ### SMS Terms of Service URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/sms-terms/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T11:32:29.000Z **Last updated:** September 3, 2026 ## Overview Scott Semple ("I," "me") operates a personal automation software platform that sends and receives SMS text messages using Twilio, a third-party messaging provider. The platform sends automated status and event notifications to the verified account owner (myself) and accepts SMS commands from that owner to trigger actions on the platform. This service is **not** a public subscription, marketing list, or customer support line. It is not open for signup by other users. ## Opt-In > 📱 **Get automated SMS alerts from Scott Semple** > Text **START** to **+1 775-373-6753** to opt in to personal automation notifications. > Msg & data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply **STOP** to cancel, **HELP** for help. Consumers opt in by texting the keyword **START** to the number above. This is a manual, affirmative action taken by the account owner from their own verified mobile device, before any automated messages are sent. Upon receipt of START, the platform replies with the consent confirmation message shown above. No messages are sent prior to receipt of this opt-in keyword. ## Use of the Service - The platform sends automated notifications about events on my own systems and accepts commands sent back to those systems. - No other individuals are enrolled to send or receive messages through this service. - This service is not used for bulk messaging, marketing, or promotional campaigns. ## Message Frequency and Charges Message frequency varies based on automated activity and is not fixed. Standard message and data rates from your mobile carrier may apply to any messages sent or received. ## Opt-Out and Help Reply **STOP** at any time to stop receiving messages from this number. Reply **HELP** for assistance, or contact privacy@scottsemple.com. ## Carrier Disclaimer Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Twilio and mobile carriers are not responsible for the content of messages sent through this service. ## No Affiliation This service is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated on behalf of Twilio Inc. or any mobile carrier. Twilio is used solely as the underlying messaging infrastructure provider. ## Changes to These Terms I may update these Terms from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. ## Contact Questions about this service or these Terms: **privacy@scottsemple.com** ### SMS Privacy Policy URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/sms-privacy/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T11:32:53.000Z **Last updated:** September 3, 2026 ## 1\. Scope This Privacy Policy describes how phone number and message data are handled in connection with the personal SMS automation platform operated by Scott Semple via Twilio. It applies only to this SMS service, not to scottsemple.com generally. ## 2\. What Data Is Collected - **Phone number:** the mobile number this service sends messages to and receives messages from. - **Message content:** the text content of messages sent and received, as needed to operate the platform (e.g., relaying notifications or commands). No other personal information is collected through this service. ## 3\. How Data Is Used Phone number and message data are used solely to operate this automation platform — to deliver notifications and to relay commands to my own systems. Message content may be processed by automated software to interpret and act on commands; no message content is used for any purpose beyond operating this platform. **Mobile opt-in data and phone numbers are never shared or sold to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.** ## 4\. Third-Party Processing Messages are transmitted using Twilio Inc. as the messaging infrastructure provider. Twilio processes message data as a service provider under its own privacy policy ([https://www.twilio.com/legal/privacy](https://www.twilio.com/legal/privacy?ref=scottsemple.com)). Message content and metadata may also pass through your mobile carrier's network as part of standard SMS delivery. ## 5\. Data Retention Message logs are retained only as long as necessary to operate and troubleshoot the platform, and are deleted or rotated periodically. No persistent marketing list or subscriber database is maintained from this service. ## 6\. Your Choices - Reply **STOP** to any message from this number to stop receiving messages. - Reply **HELP** for help. - Contact privacy@scottsemple.com to request that your number and message history be deleted from any logs retained. ## 7\. Children's Privacy This service is not directed to, and does not knowingly collect data from, anyone under 18. ## 8\. Changes to This Policy I may update this Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. ## 9\. Contact **privacy@scottsemple.com** ## Posts ### The Hidden Benefits of Coaching URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/the-hidden-benefits-of-coaching/ Last updated: 2026-09-05T02:08:39.000Z As an athlete, the most that I ever paid a coach was $1,000 a month. But I fired him six weeks after we started. At first, I was happy to pay the price. I was tired of trying to figure it out, and I didn't want to think about it anymore. I just wanted to show up and do the work. The coach I found worked with one of the best skimo racers in the world and had coached a non-skimo athlete to an Olympic gold medal. I figured I was in good hands. To start, things went as expected. Each week, I'd open Training Peaks to find the next block of workouts cut-and-pasted from a library. That in itself is not a problem. Workouts are like wrenches in a toolbox; they're not unique or custom-made. The art is in their application. The problems started when I asked questions. My expensive, world-class coach briefly responded to the first few and then stopped altogether. I never knew if he reviewed my workouts. And with the lack of dialogue, I couldn't tell if he was putting any thought into what I was working on. If this is happening to you—you're working with a coach but only getting the plan—you're not being coached. Instead, as my mentor Scott Johnston described my expensive experience, "You're having a training plan applied to you." I bailed after six weeks, $2,000 in the hole, but with an important lesson: **Plans aren't worth much on their own; it's the dialogue that steers the training.** ## What does real coaching look like? Below you'll find a series of workouts with the actual coach-athlete dialogue preserved. Each session includes an anonymized version of the prescription, the completed session, and most importantly, the dialogue the session triggers that informs the sessions that follow. Only eight of 21 sessions from a two-week window are included. Not every workout needs a conversation, but important ones always do. These are those workouts. 14 days · 21 sessions · \~28 hours · 1,726 TSS · 100 miles · 23,876′ ## The log - Aug 2Long run, 4h10m279 TSS - Aug 3Recovery walk23 TSS - Aug 4VK progression #3104 TSS - Aug 5Walk + easy aerobic run69 TSS - Aug 6Zone 2 w/ backward-walking intervals79 TSS - Aug 7Rest— - Aug 8Long run, 4h45m377 TSS - Aug 9Easy ride66 TSS - Aug 10Mobility / recovery12 TSS - Aug 11Easy aerobic run63 TSS - Aug 12VK progression #4138 TSS - Aug 13Zone 2 + core104 TSS - Aug 14Walk + max-effort session64 TSS - Aug 15Long run, 3h36m236 TSS ## Selected Sessions I've been working with "Theo" off-and-on for six years. He's currently training for a 50-mile trail race with 7,800 feet of gain. Previously, he's won a 45-mile race with 12,000 feet of gain. He has a high level of training knowledge himself but values coaching for the "outside view" that a coach provides and the discussions that it triggers. The following sessions were chosen because they show examples of what a coach-athlete dialogue can do: - Flag a passing comment to ensure it's not a hazard; - Adjust a session to fit within a client's life constraints while preserving the goal of the session; - Adjust the plan according to in-session results; - Notice similar comments that may indicate a persistent issue. Below you'll find how each selected session actually played out. "Theo" reviewed the transcripts and all content is being used with his permission. Anything personal has been removed. Each card shows what was said before the session, if anything, and after. The GPS tracks and heart rate profiles are real, the actual numbers are not shown. ### Aug 2 — Long run Prescription > This run is used to improve your basic aerobic capacity. It should be done in the upper heart rate range of Z2 (as determined by the Aerobic Threshold test) if the spread between your AeT and AnT is more than 10%. If that spread is <10% then do this run mostly in Z1 with no more than 30min in Z2. > > (**Context**: This is a description from an Evoke Endurance library workout, adjusted in intensity and duration to the needs of the client.) Before > Me: Could this session be a 4–5 hour run? It'd be nice to get a longer (running) benchmark to estimate with. > > Once we have that, I'm wondering if we should reprioritize between the VK bounce, ME, and general volume. > > Theo: Yes that will work. > > Me: Do you have something nearby that would resemble the first portion of the course? Climb to start, rolling, and return at similar altitude? Doesn't have to be exact, but the more similar the better. > > Theo: I'm sure I can find something so will check the trail map but I really like the idea of being as specific as possible 😊 8.7 mi · +4,101 ft Aug 2 — long run — GPS track with topo contours from his actual elevation data, plus distance and vertical gain. Heart rate is profile only. No coordinates, splits, or bpm shown. After > Theo: Not sure if this can provide some useful information since it was most likely a more technical and steeper trail than the first climb. It was the only one I found pretty close by. Felt kinda up and down and strangely at the top got a bit of vertigo (never happened before) so I took a little break and enjoyed the scenery. Last mile to the top it was pure mountaineering 😊. I could definitely feel some DOMS from Friday. > > Me: Okay, understood. It's late here, so I'll make a closer comparison tomorrow. > > Vertigo: > – While on trail? Or near an exposed section? > – Light-headed? Could depletion have been a factor? > – Or altitude? You were pretty high. > – Anything you're worried about? > > Theo: I was at the top and sitting down. I think I could have been the heat so I'm not very worried at this point but will keep and eye on it. As I mentioned I never felt this before and I've been at higher altitudes ### Aug 4 — Interval progression Prescription > WARM UP > 15 min easy > 3' @ AeT HR > 2' @ AnT HR > Pause & check La > > WORKOUT > 5x > Work: 1'15" @ 3.0 mph > Reco: 2'45" @ 2.8 mph > > 2' rest and check La > > 5x > Work: 1'30" @ 3.0 mph > Reco: 2'30" @ 2.8 mph > > Pause and check La > > COOLDOWN > 20' @ ≤75% VK TT pace > Check La > > (**Context**: This is a sub-threshold "bounce" workout to improve aerobic power. Speeds are set by lactate during a time trial. Treadmill is set to a 20% incline.) Before > Theo: Legs are feeling better this morning so I aim to do this later today. > > Me: \[arms crossed\] \[foot tapping\] > > #jk :-) Aug 4 — VK progression #3 (treadmill) — heart-rate profile only, indoor session (no GPS). No bpm shown. After > Theo: 😂🙈 > > The work intervals I felt stronger (they seemed easier) with the exception of the last \~20” of the 4th and 5th interval on the second set. The hardest part of the whole workout was the “rest” periods, when my legs were working pretty hard and felt tight. > > Lactate: > After warm-up: 2.8 (I had to retest since on the first one I got an error message) > After 1st set: 3.6 (I had to pause for a bathroom break after the second interval) > After 2nd set: 4.4 > After cooldown: 1.4 > > Me: Okay, great. RPE is positive. “Felt tight” where? > > Warm up and cooldown are improvements, and post-sets are within the LP's error (0.2 within a session; 0.3 between sessions). > > Let's keep these speeds for one more session. If lactate doesn't decline next time, then we may want to notch them down 0.1 mph. > > Theo: Sounds good. > I felt tightness in the calves/ankles areas when doing the “rest” intervals ### Aug 6 — Zone 2 w/ backward-walking intervals Prescription > Warm up gradually for 15-20 min so that the final 5 min are at Aerobic Threshold HR and you have a good sweat going. > Run the remaining time as close to AeT (or RPE 4-6) as you can manage without going over it for more than a total of 5 minutes. Walk the steepest sections if you need to. > > (**Context**: This is a description from an Evoke Endurance library workout, adjusted in intensity and duration to the needs of the client. Backward-walking intervals were added to strengthen the client's VMO.) Aug 6 — zone 2, backward-walking intervals (treadmill) — heart-rate profile only, indoor session (no GPS). No bpm shown. After > Theo: Walking backwards intervals reminded me of this commercial 😂 > > Felt good overall and pretty refreshed at the end > > Me: I'll tell Scott to tell Tom. :-) > > Reminds me: Scott said he usually puts the backwards work in the warm ups, but I think for general sessions either approach will work. > > How's the quad fatigue during them? Let me know if it's “end of 2nd interval”, etc, and we can adjust from there. > > Theo: Got it. For this one number 3 and 4 started to get a little fatigue towards the end (maybe last minute or so). I took 5 min in between them this time. ### Aug 8 — The hot one Prescription > This run is used to improve your basic aerobic capacity. It should be done in the upper heart rate range of Z2 (as determined by the Aerobic Threshold test) if the spread between your AeT and AnT is more than 10%. If that spread is <10% then do this run mostly in Z1 with no more than 30min in Z2. > > (**Context**: This is a description from an Evoke Endurance library workout, adjusted in intensity and duration to the needs of the client.) 18.9 mi · +4,088 ft Aug 8 — long run — GPS track with topo contours from his actual elevation data, plus distance and vertical gain. Heart rate is profile only. No coordinates, splits, or bpm shown. After > Theo: Legs felt heavy for the first 30min then got better up to the last 4 miles or so where I also ran out of water so it was a bit of a struggle bus to the end. Overall it felt like a good long run but I wish it was winter already 😊. Too hot even in the morning. It was 95F by the time I finished. > > Theo: HR stayed pretty high compared to the effort starting the second climb. Don't know if it was the heat or the air quality > > Me: Holy crap... That is hot. I suspect that explains the HR. And 19 miles. Nice work. > > Reminds me: Are you using the breath-rate sensor at all? Would be interesting to see if breath rate stays constant in the heat vs HR. Just curious though, not crucial. > > Theo: I did not use the sensor but I will try next time. Last time I had some issues with it connecting to the watch. The power is from the watch. I also have a separate power sensor but been using it only on the treadmill ### Aug 11 — Aerobic base run Prescription > Aerobic run keeping it an easy and enjoyable effort. This should not feel challenging. > > (**Context**: This is a description from an Evoke Endurance library workout, adjusted in intensity and duration to the needs of the client.) Aug 11 — aerobic base run (treadmill) — heart rate profile only, indoor session (no GPS). No bpm shown. After > Theo: Definitely a good call to push the workout to tomorrow and I should be able to do it in the morning which will be better from a temperature point of view 😊 > > I successfully reconnected the Tyme sensor to my Garmin so the data should be there somewhere. Now the Stryd sensor is having some struggles but I think I can fix it 🙈 > > Me: Okay, sounds good. I'm not current, but Stryd... :-( ? > > Theo: Stryd is a power meter pod thingy > > Me: 😁 I know... How do you like it? I tried one many years ago but sent it back. > > Theo: I have a love and hate relationship with it 😂. I think it can provide some good data on flat but trails not so sure. Also for treadmill workouts you need to select the incline every time it changes to provide accurate values > > Me: Yeah, sounds like it hasn't changed. I sent it back when they sent me to an article that said the reading would change with terrain, turning trail running into a triathlon (or more). ### Aug 12 — Tight Ankles Prescription > WARM UP > 15 min easy > 3' @ 2.5/2.6 > 2' @ 2.9 > Pause & check La > > WORKOUT > 5x > Work: 1'30" @ 2.9 mph > Reco: 2'30" @ 2.7 mph > > 2' rest and check La > > 5x > Work: 1'45" @ 2.9 mph > Reco: 2'15" @ 2.7 mph > > Pause and check La > > COOLDOWN > 20' @ ≤75% VK TT pace > Check La > > (**Context**: This is a sub-threshold "bounce" workout to improve aerobic power. Speeds are set by lactate during a time trial. Treadmill is set to a 20% incline.) Before > Theo: Moved it to tomorrow since after the warmup the legs still felt a bit heavy. > > Me: 👍 Aug 12 — VK progression #4 (treadmill) — heart rate profile only, indoor session (no GPS). No bpm shown. After > Theo: Legs felt decent this morning. Ankles still felt tight even if I went with a lower stack shoes. Any suggestions for unlocking ankles? > > Lactate measurements: > After warmup: 2.8 > After 1st set: 3.6 > After 2nd set: 3.8 > End: 2.0 > > Me: Not sure. Haven't heard of that before. Ankles or calves? > > Just to confirm: this was at the new speeds, not the old ones? > > Theo: Ankles mostly on the outside leg area. > Yes it was at the new speeds > > Theo: Went to see my PT and she gave me some ankle mobility exercises to do plus she dry needled it so hopefully it will be better. My peroneal muscles were super tight > > Me: On speed, let's try one step down next time. Plus, you'll probably be well-recovered by late next week, so that'll be a good benchmark. > > On ankles, let me know if it doesn't improve. The general load has ramped up quite a bit, so that could be an issue too. We can back off if necessary. ### Aug 13 — Robo Scott Prescription > Warm up gradually for 15-20 min so that the final 5 min are at Aerobic Threshold HR and you have a good sweat going. > Run the remaining time as close to AeT (or RPE 4-6) as you can manage without going over it for more than a total of 5 minutes. Walk the steepest sections if you need to. > > (**Context**: This is a description from an Evoke Endurance library workout, adjusted in intensity and duration to the needs of the client.) Aug 13 — zone 2 (treadmill) — heart rate profile only, indoor session (no GPS). No bpm shown. After > Theo: Kept it nice and easy since legs were a bit heavy after yesterday. Did the first backwards intervals at 15% and the last 2 at 20%. No noticeable accumulation of fatigue during any of them. > Felt relaxed at the end > > Me: Super. Good choices, and seems like backward strength is increasing? Who woulda thunk! (Sersly, I was kinda surprised when it was first mentioned, but I've noticed it just doing it at home.) > > Also, for gain adjustments to TSS, if you want to keep doing them, no problem. Or I can have Robo Scott\* do it weekly when I plan subsequent weeks, whichever you prefer. > > \* Kylee called me that once. Weird, right? :-) > > Theo: “Robo Scott” that's hilarious. Okay I will leave them as they are. ### Aug 15 — A good note to end on Prescription > This run is used to improve your basic aerobic capacity. It should be done in the upper heart rate range of Z2 (as determined by the Aerobic Threshold test) if the spread between your AeT and AnT is more than 10%. If that spread is <10% then do this run mostly in Z1 with no more than 30min in Z2. > > (**Context**: This is a description from an Evoke Endurance library workout, adjusted in intensity and duration to the needs of the client.) 15.0 mi · +2,428 ft Aug 15 — long run — GPS track with topo contours from his actual elevation data, plus distance and vertical gain. Heart rate is profile only. No coordinates, splits, or bpm shown. After > Theo: Ran the loop with a friend and we ended up being a tad short on the planned time but I think I will do the same tomorrow to make it up 😊 > Legs felt tight for the first 30min or so but loosened up after. Only the right hip/glute was still a bit tight throughout. The last 3 miles or so were on the road and the legs felt like they wanted to go faster. Overall I'm pretty happy with how it went and it was also 15-20 degrees cooler > > Me: Okay, super. Sounds like you're absorbing the training well, wanting to go faster. > > I know you mentioned a PT and some needling. Is that, or something similar, a regular thing? Might be a good idea; you've mentioned tightness several times. ## What are the benefits? Proper one-on-one coaching has five benefits. The first two are what you'd expect: 1. **Delegation of planning**: Rather than studying training theory, choosing a direction, and stressing over its effectiveness, the athlete shows up with running shoes and a proper heart rate monitor (with a chest strap). 2. **Built-in accountability**: Knowing another human being is going to check your work is a natural motivator to get it done. The last three are even more powerful, but you only learn them inside a coach-athlete relationship. They're what the sessions above actually show. 1. **An outside view**: Self-coaching can work, but it's error-prone and fraught with risk. (Ask me how I know.) An experienced observer can offer useful insight. 1. Above, I asked follow-up questions to Theo's vertigo comment because it could be a safety issue in technical terrain, especially at altitude. 2. **Ongoing collaboration**: An athlete-coach relationship is a conversation—about what's working, what's not, and what's next—not a top down, command-and-control stream of directives. 1. Above, Theo wanted to extend a session on August 2\. Not a problem, but I suggested making it as race-specific as possible. 3. **Responsive steering**: Athletes don't follow training plans. Plans follow athletes. Based on the conversation, the plan changes. 1. On August 4th, lactate values were within our target range, but need to decline. We tried one more session with only slight improvement, so we're notching down the speed next time, not blindly marching forward. If you have an important training objective and you're interested in what this might look like for you, email [coach@evokeendurance.com](mailto:coach@evokeendurance.com) or fill out [the Evoke Endurance Intake Form](https://evokeendurance.com/coaching-intake/?ref=scottsemple.com). (If you want to have an intake interview with me in particular, say so in your notes.) ### Embrace the next generation. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/embrace-the-next-generation/ Last updated: 2026-08-08T13:52:32.000Z "Do you want to know how to make your eggs less rubbery?" a 14-year-old house guest asked me. "Uh...sure," I said, smiling. "First, get the pan really hot. Then, as soon as you pour the eggs in, turn it down to Low. Keep scrambling them as the pan cools." *No way this kid knows anything,* I thought. *I'll humor him.* But I was wrong. It works really well. And it reminded me of an ice climber. --- Guy Lacelle, one of the most prolific ice climbers in history, absorbed these types of lessons naturally. Instead of skepticism, curiosity was his superpower. When sport mixed climbing surged in popularity in the early 2000s, many of Guy's contemporaries criticized and ignored it. But not Guy. Even as an icon of the sport, he jumped right in and started clipping bolts. Guy saw past the boundaries of ice climbing. He looked toward what climbing might become, rather than what it had been. Instead of rejecting sport mixed as “not ice climbing”, he gladly carried more quickdraws, and fewer ice screws, when a route called for it. His actions carried a lot of weight. He went so far as competing, usually with climbers half his age. He continued climbing at a high level during years that normally see a decline. As an added bonus, [our respect for him](https://www.scottsemple.com/guys-gone/) only grew. His participation felt like a pat on the back, a huge stamp of approval. We admired Guy already, but for him to embrace this thing that most of his contemporaries criticized, we loved and respected him even more. --- Around the same time that I learned to cook scrambled eggs, I joined the [Almeida Racing Academy](https://almeidaracingacademy.com/?ref=scottsemple.com). I wanted to learn to drive fast (on a track), but track time is heinously expensive. Sim racing seemed like the most cost-effective way to learn—if it worked—but sim racing communities are... young. And the Almeida group uses Discord, which I hate. Discord is a hot, noisy mess of spastic SMS-like exchanges and horrible search. It's great for feeling part of a group, but adds way too much noise to the signal. ("Mute channel" is the best feature.) Beginner conversations spin off into irrelevant tangents and become digital examples of the blind leading the blind. But the progress that Almeida students have made on real tracks is shocking. And inside the community are three outstanding coaches, two of whom drive in real life. I thought of the 14-year-old and Guy. I was 50 when I learned how to cook scrambled eggs from our young guest. And 20 years prior, Guy didn't hesitate to start clipping bolts. I grit my teeth and committed to sim racing. And Discord. Once the snow had melted and the tracks had dried, I was eager to see if I could tell the difference. Discord continued to be annoying, and I felt hugely out of place, spending hours each week with drivers half my age, but it worked. I hadn't been inside a real track car in six months, but I had spent several hundred hours inside a digital one. And my driving had taken a leap forward. --- Experience is valuable when protecting established standards or managing known risks. But it can be limiting if we dismiss unfamiliar forms of knowledge. I need to identify those shifts in context and remind myself: Embrace the next generation. ### Do your feet make noise? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/do-your-feet-make-noise/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T10:56:35.000Z A mountain guide once told me that the first thing he does with a new client is listen to their feet. "If we're on a trail and their steps are noisy," he said. "They'll be a hazard to themselves—and to me—when we get off the trail." Walking on a sidewalk is a controlled fall. With a leg extended, we're off balance, and the leg catches us. Moving forward precedes contact with the ground. Without that controlled fall, moving forward would be strange and difficult, like a ninja sneaking into a house. Instead, we let gravity do most of the work and go along for the ride. But **when the terrain gets steep enough or rough enough that we need to lift our leg rather than just swing it forward, falling onto that leg wastes energy.** In that case, the force into the ground is greater than the force required to move upward. And especially when there are consequences to slipping, falling forward is dangerous. **The trick is to—rather than reaching and falling—*place your foot and then transfer your weight*.** The order is reversed; contact with the ground precedes moving forward. On steep trails—and especially with a heavy pack—it feels a lot like being a slow motion weeble wobble. It's not a fall at all, but a slow, back-and-forth tilt between trustworthy platforms. You can learn the technique in two ways. The first is to walk over rough terrain for hours and hours, for years and years. Efficiency will naturally, eventually show up. The second way is to practice it by stepping quietly. The more noise that's made, the more effort is wasted. Excess noise means excess force. If all you hear is a tiny crunch of gravel during weight transfer—and not the step itself, or worse, a stomp—then you're on the right track. ### Race before you're ready. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/race-before-youre-ready/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T16:17:34.000Z Like traveling in the mountains, beginners rush in when it's dangerous and [hesitate when it's not](https://www.scottsemple.com/when-caution-cost-me/). Racing is like the latter. The desire to be ready creates unnecessary procrastination. If the first race is delayed, the lessons to learn are postponed. Time is wasted, and progression slows. If racing is put off, so is an ideal performance. ## Learn by doing. "No," you might think. "I'll get really fit, and then I'll race." **Fitness is part of it, but not all of it.** Racing must be practiced. A smart racer will be able to perform at a higher level than someone who focuses only on fitness. The better racer will win. **Don't wait until you're in top shape before your first race.** That only increases nerves by creating an expectation. And then it increases regret when execution is poor. Instead, race when the stakes are low, when you're happy to go slow, and likely to learn something. It'll pay off in better racing down the road. ## Ignore your nerves. Here's how: **Your performance is irrelevant.** Without the appropriate gear and experience, you won't be able to evaluate your true potential. **You have no competition.** The only true competitor anyone has is their Best Self. And your Best Self always skips your first race. **Skimo is weird and geeky *for everyone*.** We're wearing skinsuits after all. That's why bro-brahs are deathly afraid of it. **You don't need fancy gear.** Using backcountry ski gear in an early race is totally normal. Some choose to race on it indefinitely. **Pain is acceptable.** But how hard you go is entirely up to you. Now that you know that absolute performance and relative standings are misleading, you can focus on more important things. ## Can horrible be hella-fun? After a race in Kimberley, a few of us were near the finish line when a first-timer came tumbling across. He was wearing full Gore-Tex, soaked in sweat, and hunched over his poles. Gasping, he said, "That was horrible!" And everyone laughed. It was a horrible that we all knew. And loved. Will you love it too? After your race, answer these questions: 1. Do I want to do more of this? 1. On the ascents, you'll be at what the geeks call "threshold" intensity. It's painful, but just below a muscle-burning pain. 2. On the descents—with pre-fatigued legs and the eccentric loading—you won't ski as well as you're used to, and the intensity will be at that burning level. 3. In transitions, you can catch your breath, but only while executing a technical sequence as fast as possible. 4. It won't get easier. As Greg Lemond says, "Racing doesn't get easier. It just gets faster." 2. If so, how much? 1. Is it a challenge that you enjoy? In the moment, "enjoy" is probably the wrong word. But is it a challenge that you enjoy the next day? (aka. "Type 2" fun) 2. Do you want to get serious and rabbit-hole on performance? Or is recreational racing enough? (It makes you a faster backcountry skier.) ## Either way, it'll be worth it. Before my first skimo race, I had never raced in anything, but I had done a lot of alpine climbing. I was used to physical challenges, but spread out over many high-stress hours. After my first race, I was amazed. I had never gone that hard for that long. I was shocked at the intensity and the depth of the fatigue. It felt like a big alpine day, but compressed into a few hours. For me, it was "fun" enough to do more of. Six seasons later, it was still just as painful, but no longer debilitating. As racers get used to the intensity, they can both move and recover faster. ## Any time is the perfect time. Racing is like marriage or having kids: no one is ever fully ready. And if there is never a perfect time, then any time is the perfect time. The only way to get ready to race is to race a lot. Your first race reflects your interest, not your potential. Just do it. ### Zone 3 Confusion & the Fatigue-Equals-Fitness Trap URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/zone-3-confusion-and-the-fatigue-equals-fitness-trap/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T14:19:56.000Z Responding to [my training advice for a skimo vertical](https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/comments/1r0azxg/comment/o4zcruk/?ref=scottsemple.com), a Redditor asked for clarification on when "intensity" starts. (At aerobic threshold, not anaerobic.) I offer five ways to find it. ## Where does intensity begin? > ...when you mention 5% \[for a 2-hour event\], you mean at or above LT2 right? For zone 3 (or in between thresholds) we could do up to around 15%-20% ? ## Intensity starts at aerobic threshold. By "intensity", I mean anything above *aerobic* threshold (AeT), not anaerobic threshold (AnT). The gap between the two—aka. Zone 3—is very individual and based on training history. Someone who has spent too much time in Z3 will have a wide gap, while someone with a well-developed aerobic system will have a narrow one. (The worst I've seen is over 30%; the best, less than 5%.) If you don't know your AeT, you could: 1. Do [Scott Johnston's drift test](https://evokeendurance.com/resources/evoke-endurance-masterclass-heart-rate-drift-test/?ref=scottsemple.com); 2. Get a proper lab test done by a knowledgeable tech (but [buyer beware](https://www.reddit.com/r/evokeendurance/comments/1ri02ic/comment/o87tpi7/?ref=scottsemple.com)); 3. Try [Tymewear](https://www.tymewear.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) (excellent, but the sensor is expensive); 4. Guess at 80% of AnT (not great, but most training volume will always be less than that anyway); or 5. Super worst-case: ignore reality and associate effort with progress, and fatigue with fitness. Number five is the most popular—and the most destructive for fitness. ### Learn the language. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/learn-the-language/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T14:56:25.000Z Imagine going to a steep skiing film at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. One of the also-ran ski films is playing at a pub, and you're sitting at the back. At the table next to you is a bearded, salt-and-pepper-haired gentleman. His puffy jacket has duct tape covering the holes—and the logo. His face is a mix of a goggle tan and windburn. "So how long have you been into skimo?" you ask. If he's nice, maybe he'll smile. If he's not, maybe he'll spit. --- The fastest way to be flagged as a beginner is to use "skimo" to describe *anything but* racing.1 Long-time backcountry skiers don't use the word unless—like my climber friends—they do it sarcastically. When planning the weekend, experienced backcountry skiers ask, "Skiing Saturday?" The type of skiing is implied. Or if they also frequent ski hills, a distinction may be made with, "Touring on Saturday?" Or via the objective: "What about the 3-4 on Sunday?" Think of "skimo" as short-hand. "Ski mountaineering racing" was always too much of a mouthful, so it became "skimo racing", and amongst racers—whether or not they backcountry ski—it's "skimo".2 - "ski mountaineering racing" -> "skimo racing" -> "skimo" "skimo" means racing. ## Know where the disciplines diverge. **In the spectrum of backcountry skiers, true ski mountaineers are the rarest.** Ski mountaineering demands broad mountain knowledge and abilities: glacier travel; rope rescue; scrambling in ski boots; the ability to build anchors in rock, snow, and ice; and avalanche training. **On the other end of the spectrum is the most accessible and popular sub-discipline: ski touring.** Avalanche training is still very important—although often lacking—but the knowledge, technical skill, and equipment demands are much less than ski mountaineering. Technical mountain skills are not required. ![A sketch showing the spectrum of backcountry skiing terrain and which discipline happens where](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skimo-landscape-v02.png) Ski mountaineering versus skimo racing: They're siblings, not twins. Sketch by Scott Semple. **Skimo racing sits, strangely, in the middle.** It's admittedly the geekiest and least similar to its roots, but it is by far the most physically demanding.3 As the name implies, most of the mountaineering has been taken out of it.4 And this "dumbing down" of the mountaineering requirements is a very, very good thing. With few to no safety concerns, pure physical performance becomes the priority. With performance as the priority, true limits can be discovered and pushed. Despite popular myths to the contrary, that can't happen in a hostile environment.5 --- 1. Using "skimo" to mean ski mountaineering—or vice versa—flags the speaker as either: a non-English speaker, which is fine; or a beginner, which might not be what they're going for. 2. "But that store Salt Lake is called skimo.co!" you might think. Yes, skimo.co is a great resource for fast and light ski touring equipment. (No affiliation.) But the name comes from being one of the early importers of race gear from Europe, not ski mountaineering equipment in general (until more recently). 3. I say this as an ex-alpine climber, so I'm familiar with the demands of big, dangerous objectives. 4. Although grande course races are often true backcountry races and the European versions often require true ski mountaineering skills. 5. As with sport climbing, pretend experts sometimes say, "skimo is neither". In all cases, "is neither" only reveals a speaker who can't do either. ### Paint your toes. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/paint-your-toes/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T19:06:17.000Z ![A top-view photo of the toe of a skimo boot in a binding with paint marks near the binding inserts.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/paint-your-toes-top-scott-semple.webp) To quickly line up your boot inserts with the binding pins, use a paint pen to mark your boots. ### Trim your skins. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/skimo-skin-useful-length/ Last updated: 2026-02-23T13:55:46.000Z 1. When starting out, trim your skins longer than you think you need. 2. As your skinning technique improves, you'll be able to trim the skin shorter and shorter. 3. Eventually—for proper, efficient skin tracks—trimming the skin 10-15 cm past the heel piece is plenty. ### Beware of buoyancy. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/beware-of-buoyancy/ Last updated: 2025-12-03T22:23:56.000Z A few years ago, I went scuba diving for the first time. After monitoring your air supply, the second most important thing to manage is buoyancy. It can invisibly control you, so awareness of it is crucial. It struck me that buoyancy is a great metaphor for context. The context we choose to train and perform in has the same dynamics. ## Three Types of Buoyancy **Buoyancy can be positive, negative, or neutral.** Positive buoyancy is what everyone thinks of when they hear the word. Something less dense than the surrounding medium will rise. A balloon filled with helium will climb toward the clouds. In racing, everyone gets a boost from sideline cheering. Negative buoyancy is the opposite. Something more dense than its medium will sink. A stone dropped in water will end up on the bottom. In training, criticism and conflict increase the load. Neutral buoyancy is neither. The object's density matches the medium, so it hangs suspended. A neutrally buoyant diver will hover at depth. ## Buoyancy is dynamic. The interesting thing is that **buoyant objects accelerate**. Their velocity increases until it's balanced by drag. Positively buoyant objects rise faster and faster, shooting toward the sky. But like falling objects, negatively buoyant objects descend faster and faster toward the ground. Without intervention, a scuba diver will rise and sink faster and faster. Like a diver, winning and succeeding often leads to more of the same, as do their opposites. ## The Two Hazards of Buoyancy > *"Behaviors don’t always reflect personality; they’re more often a function of the situation."* > —Daniel Kahneman The dangers of buoyancy are two-fold. **The first hazard is not recognizing that buoyancy is at work.** A lot of effort is wasted if changes in context would create similar, but more sustainable, change. A common mistake in training is to sacrifice sleep to increase training time. This limits recovery, making the additional training less effective. In contrast, increasing sleep—sleeping longer at night and/or adding naps during the day—supports adaptation and makes additional training possible and more effective. **The second hazard of buoyancy is taking credit for its effects.** A certain context may not be the person’s doing—born on Park Avenue vs. born in a war zone—and thinking so can lead to undeserved effects on self-perception and confidence. In a positive environment, taking credit for context leads to overconfidence and eventual correction. In a negative environment, taking blame for context leads underconfidence and missed opportunities. ## Be aware of buoyancy. > "...success is not the result of strong willpower and the ability to overcome resistance, but rather the result of smart working environments that avoid resistance in the first place." > —Soenke Ahrens, *How to Take Smart Notes* If situations shape behavior, shaping them can create an advantage. In training and racing, engineer a supportive environment: Sleep as much as possible, prioritize nutrition, kill your commute, connect with cheerleaders, avoid critics. Accept that inputs are controllable, but outcomes are not. ### Should PERMA(V) become REVAMP? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/should-perma-v-become-revamp/ Last updated: 2025-12-18T15:26:49.000Z I see parallels between Hintsa's approach to performance and a modified approach to post-traumatic growth. This July, my wife graduated from [the MAPP program](https://www.lps.upenn.edu/degree-programs/mapp?ref=scottsemple.com) at the University of Pennsylvania, so we've been talking a lot about the PERMA framework over the past year. In her capstone project on child loss, my wife proposed reordering PERMA into REMAP, placing relationships first and *suspending the positive*1 until it becomes appropriate and possible. In September, I started a training program with [Hintsa Performance](http://www.hintsa.com/?ref=scottsemple.com). It introduced me to two related ideas, one similar and one new: starting with relationships and engagement in the coaching process; and including vitality (V) as a PERMA component. The combination of the two approaches triggered the idea of REVAMP. Relationships (R), engagement (E), and vitality (V) all have immediate benefits—regardless of the context of the client—while achievement (A), meaning (M), and positive emotion (P) often take longer, especially in trying times. --- 1. The idea of "suspending the positive" is from the work of Abimbola Tschetter, my wife's capstone advisor at Penn. In her own work on post-traumatic growth, Tschetter proposed ERMAP as a more realistic approach than PERMA. ### The Poor Man's Power Meter URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/respiration-the-poor-mans-power-meter/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T14:17:11.000Z 📻 A few months ago, I did a podcast with Joey Roth from Tracer Fitness on [using breath rate to improve training and racing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giE6fjOjOA0&ref=scottsemple.com). This article provides more of the details behind the technique. Since the early 2000s, I've been [training in silence](https://www.skimoschool.com/train-in-silence/?ref=scottsemple.com) and paying attention to my breathing. Synchronizing cadence with respiration is a reliable way to limit intensity when training and an ideal way to pace a race and produce the highest average speed. ## Benefits of Cadence-Driven Respiration ### Limit intensity when training. The trick is to learn which rhythm works with which movement pattern. The real limiter is the duration of a breath cycle, but keeping track of that would be tedious. Thankfully, it's also unnecessary. These are the rhythms that work for me and the intensities that they match up with:1 | **Zone** | **Running (160-180 spm)** | **Striding (80-120 spm)** | | -------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------- | | Zone 1 | 4-in-6-out | 2-in-3-out | | Zone 2 | 4-4 | 2-2 | | Zone 3 | 2-4 | 1-2 | | Zone 4 | 2-2 | 1-1 | | Zone 5 | Unsynchronized | Unsynchronized | - "Striding" includes hiking and skimo training. It (probably) does not include most ski touring, because the gear is (ridiculously, unnecessarily) heavy and most people's cadence becomes slow and robotic at best. - The running respiration zones can be often be split with odd numbered cycles. For example, Zone "2a" might be 4-4, while "2b" could be 3-4\. "2b" is slightly higher in intensity, but not high enough to warrant "Zone 3". ### Pace a race. At an amateur level, almost every racer starts too fast. And shockingly, many repeat the error every race. For events that are largely aerobic—anything over two minutes, and espec­ially over four—records are usually set with nearly even splits. The first half is never a lot faster than the first. To have almost-even splits, the athlete must start feeling that they could go faster, *but must choose not to*. They ignore the adrenalin, strength, power, and over-confidence they feel at the start. And a great way to make that happen is with breath control. In a two-hour skimo race, the following pacing strategy has worked well for me: 1. Always, always, always warm up. Skipping a warm up sabotages performance. 2. Off the start line, 2-in, 2-out lets me go out decently fast but without going over my anaerobic threshold.2 3. After 5-10 minutes—when I feel like I'm no longer at risk of going too fast too soon—I switch to 1-in, 2-out for a few minutes.3 4. Once into a good rhythm, I switch to 1-in, 1-out for the majority of the race. From experience, I know that that rhythm is right at my anaerobic threshold. Climbs will be at the right intensity, while [transitions](https://www.scottsemple.com/library/technique/why-transitions-matter/) and descents will offer a bit of a break. 5. For the final ascent, I go as hard as possible and the 1-1 rhythm becomes impossible to maintain. At that point, I know that I'm over my anaerobic threshold (where synchronized breathing isn't possible), but I should be able to hold that pace until over the finish line. ## Three Signs Your Pacing Strategy is Working Once in a good rhythm, there are a few things that usually happen: 1. Racers you always beat will be right beside you for the first few minutes. They eventually fade. 2. You start to close gaps on the racers that started too fast (and are forced to slow down). 3. You catch your usual cohort around the last third of the race and have a better ability to attack and defend. --- 1. Do your own tests. Once you know your thresholds, try different percentages of them and see what breathing rhythms emerge. 2. In a training context, 2-in, 2-out is about 95% of my anaerobic threshold. But at the beginning of a race, I suspect that it's slightly higher due to nerves pushing the pace. 3. Depending on the (low) quality of the route-setting, the initial rhythm may have to be accelerated. A proper skimo course has two parallel skins tracks on every climb, but this is uncommon in North America. And if the race briefing doesn't state that slower racers have to step aside for faster—which they should—then a faster pace to the single skin track may be required. ### Lactate Curves: 3 Shifts, 13 Reasons URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-curve-interpretation-3-shifts-13-reasons/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T12:33:28.000Z For a lactate curve, three shifts are possible: to the left, to the right, or none at all. A traditional interpretation of those shifts would be, respectively, a decrease in aerobic capacity, an increase, and no change. But by only considering aerobic capacity, a traditional interpretation is never complete and has a 40% chance of being wrong.1 > "The traditional way to read a curve is that a shift to the right in the curve means ... better endurance, and a shift to the left means deteriorating endurance. The problem with that idea is it is too simplistic." > —Steve Magness, *The Science of Running* As Magness suggests, a lactate curve is not a single index. It is a series of balance points between two opposing forces. Each reading represents the tension between anaerobic capacity (pulling the value to the left) and aerobic capacity (pulling the value to the right). ## It's the difference between the two. It's not the absolute strength of either capacity that determines a lactate reading, but the relative strengths of both. Anaerobic capacity increases the amount of circulating lactate and aerobic capacity decreases it. So the observed lactate in the bloodstream is not an absolute value for either, but the difference between the two. - \[La produced\] - \[La cleared\] = \[La observed\] Lactate from glycolysis enters the bloodstream where a portion is cleared via aerobic metabolism. What's left behind is what is measured in a lactate sample. So measured lactate is only the difference between the two capacities. It's not a clear indication of the absolute strength of either one. At a constant speed, changes in blood lactate only reveal that the balance has shifted. On its own, a lactate curve can never explain the reason for its shift. Because of this, 13 possible reasons exist, not three: five for an increase, five for a decrease, and three for no change at all.2 ## Reasons for a Shift **A shift to the left** means that the balance has tipped toward anaerobic capacity, and *the difference in lactate has increased*. That change could come from: | AnC | AeC | Shift | Explanation | | --- | --- | ----- | ------------------------------------------------ | | ++ | + | < | An increase in AnC with a lesser increase in AeC | | + | \= | < | An increase in AnC with no change in AeC | | + | \- | < | An increase in AnC with a decrease in AeC | | \= | \- | < | No change in AnC with a decrease in AeC | | \- | \-- | < | A decrease in AnC with a greater decrease in AeC | **A shift to the right** means that the balance has tipped toward aerobic capacity, and *the difference in lactate has decreased*. That change could come from: | AnC | AeC | Shift | Explanation | | --- | --- | ----- | ------------------------------------------------- | | \-- | \- | \> | A decrease in AnC with a lesser decrease in AeC | | \- | \= | \> | A decrease in AnC with no change in AeC | | \- | + | \> | A decrease in AnC with an increase in AeC | | \= | + | \> | No change in AnC with an increase in AeC | | + | ++ | \> | An increase in AnC with a greater increase in AeC | **No shift** means that the balance is unchanged, and *the difference in lactate has remained the same*. That could come from: | AnC | AeC | Shift | Explanation | | --- | --- | ----- | ------------------------------------- | | + | + | \= | An equal increase in both AnC and AeC | | \= | \= | \= | No change in either AnC or AeC | | \- | \- | \= | An equal decrease in AnC and AeC | ## The reason can't be known from the curve itself. It should never be assumed that a change in only one factor—traditionally, aerobic capacity—is responsible. The true cause must be inferred from other factors.3 A lactate curve on its own cannot reveal whether aerobic or anaerobic changes are responsible. Only a complete test protocol can.4 --- 1. "...only about 60% of the classic interpretations of the aerobic capacity fits with the more sophisticated valuation. This means that out of five lactate tests classically evaluated, on average two interpretations are incorrect and will inevitably lead to wrong training advice." Jan Olbrecht, *The Science of Winning*, p.145 2. Jan Olbrecht originally wrote about this apparent paradox in 2000, but the traditional interpretation has persisted long after. For a table that illustrates all 13 possibilities, see page 112 in *The Science of Winning*. 3. The two capacities—aerobic and anaerobic—can really only be measured in a lab, respectively by VO2max and VLamax. But precise tests are expensive, inconvenient, and interrupt the training process. In contrast, regular Olbrecht-style tests can provide similar information by proxy and without a negative impact on a macrocycle. 4. A complete lactate test must include samples at submaximal intensities—for aerobic capacity—and a near-maximal sample to reflect anaerobic capacity. Olbrecht recommends a full recovery, an all-out 45-90" effort, and then samples until a peak value is observed. 5. The longer an event, the slower the average pace, and the less the anaerobic contribution. So for many mountain athletes, not measuring anaerobic capacity may be lower risk. But tracking the change in both capacities will provide a fuller picture than tracking only one. 6. Regardless of the role of anaerobic capacity during a goal event, training anaerobic capacity is a worthwhile training component for strength, speed, and—according to Olbrecht—to add “spice” to aerobic capacity workouts, increasing the aerobic stimulus. ### Drowning in Reverse URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/drowning-in-reverse/ Last updated: 2026-09-05T02:22:30.000Z It was early in the morning and sunny, and I stood on a fishing boat. A storm hovered on the horizon, but at that moment, the water around me was calm. I turned at the sound of a splash to see a giant black tentacle burst out of the water. It whipped toward me and snaked its way around my ankle. Jerked off my feet, I slammed onto the deck and started sliding toward the open back of the boat. The life I was living was over. I would never get it back. As I slid toward the back of the boat, I watched the tentacle disappear over the edge, dragging me with it. I kicked at the tentacle with my free leg and grasped at anything I could see. But I grabbed nothing. "No, no, no, no, no," I said as I slid toward the water. I splashed into the ocean, and the tentacle tightened its grip as we rocketed toward the bottom. The water got darker and darker, and the surface further away. Once on the bottom, I floated next to a gigantic, dark shape, its tentacle still holding me prisoner. That calm moment on the surface was a distant memory. I wouldn't see light again for years. The dark monster that dragged me into the abyss—ripping me out of one life and into another—was the suicide of my oldest son. He was 18. --- When I got the call, my mind scrambled to grasp onto some other reality. It was such a horrible thought—that inky black tentacle dragging me down—that I immediately started grasping at other ways that would explain it. Anything but the truth. Maybe it was a mistaken identity. Maybe he was playing a cruel joke on us. Maybe anything but what it was. Like a crazy person, I babbled, “No, no, no, no, no,” as I ran back home. When I got there, I was in the water and sinking. And I didn't stop until I hit the bottom; a dark world, immersed in death and grief and horror. It was everywhere all at once. --- Around the same time, our patio was being rebuilt. One morning, I looked outside and noticed that the seams between the bricks didn't line up with the patio's outer edges. The contractor had started laying bricks without first ensuring that the seams would be square with the space. And they were so indifferent to their sloppy work that they had started cutting bricks on an angle to fit into the last row. "Hey..." I said on the phone. "I just noticed that the patio bricks aren't square with the edges. They'll have to be relaid." "Oh, it's not a big deal," he said. "After a while, you won't notice it." Fuck that. I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't see the subject of a painting, but I'll notice if it's crooked. So having crooked bricks in a patio—especially right outside the kitchen window—was not an option. I would never \_not\_ notice it, and "after a while" it would only drive me crazy. I didn't have the patience and energy to explain good work to a lazy person, so I hung up the phone, walked outside, and tore up all the bricks. Then I re-laid them, hiding the contractor's sloppy work where I couldn't square it. I left him drawings of each oddball brick that remained to be cut, along with a diagram showing where it should be placed. For those few hours I played brick-Tetris, it was distracting just enough. I could push away reality just enough to breathe again. But as I laid the last brick, reality came rushing back. I slipped back under the water and started sinking again. --- That's how it went for the first few years. Most of the time, I was drowning, far from light and air. Then something would catch my attention, and it would be distracting enough that I would resurface. For a few seconds, I wouldn't think of my dead son. But then just as quickly, the moment would pass, and I'd start sinking again. I always got dragged back down. At first, resurfacing was rare and brief. As time went on, I started to surface more frequently and for longer. I was drowning in reverse. ### WHOOP, I did it again. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/whoop-i-did-it-again/ Last updated: 2025-10-30T22:03:43.000Z ## In 2018 In [my first test](https://www.scottsemple.com/should-whoop-change-its-name-to-whoops/), WHOOP's biggest issues were: 1. Heart rate readings were roughly accurate, but horribly imprecise. Decent accuracy makes it fine for vanity metrics and broad generalizations, but not useful enough to hit specific training targets. 2. The app had no options for personalized thresholds. To use a generic zone formula is the first sign of an unsophisticated—and unrealistic—approach to heart rate monitoring. 3. Optical heart rate monitoring is indirect and unreliable. This is a broad industry issue with wrist-based monitoring. Of course, it doesn't stop the wealth and fatness industry from selling people gadgets they don't need. ## In 2025 ### Day 1 - June 15 #### The app now has personalized zones. This is a great first step. Let's see what happens. #### WHOOP can broadcast heart rate, but not receive it? Fail. If WHOOP would integrate with chest straps, the training data might be much more useful for athletes. At a minimum, just one device would have to be worn. The combination of all-day wrist monitoring and precise measurement from chest straps during training sessions seems like an obvious bonus. But to do so, WHOOP would have to admit that wrist monitoring is not ideal. (Surprisingly, another part of their app reveals that. Read on.) #### Will tracking sleep worsen it? I don't like the idea of tracking sleep. Almost all of my sleepless nights are from wheel spinning, so tracking my sleep seems like a great way to make that wondering worse. #### WHOOP should go after the heat training market. I'm also testing a CORE. It's mostly a hassle, and doesn't seem worth it. However, for a device that's intended to be worn 24/7 like the WHOOP, tracking heat exposure makes way more sense. With CORE, the sensor goes on a heart rate strap, so it's only recording during training sessions, and it doesn't allow for manual heat training entries, just passive exposure. (Forgot your strap? Tough.) While training is always session-specific, heat exposure can happen any time, during training or just suffering on the beach. A 24/7 device like WHOOP would be a much more convenient way to monitor heat adaptation. #### What does WHOOP classify as an activity? In the app, activity detection is defined as "sustained, significant cardiovascular exertion"? But... - 15 minutes is "sustained"? For who? This is a big reveal that WHOOP is really targeting chronic exercisers, not necessarily focused athletes. - And what defines "significant"? In my 2018 test, cleaning the house triggered a recording. ### Day 3 - June 17 #### Activity detection is weak. Although personalized zones and thresholds are necessary, WHOOP doesn't adjust its algorithm to account for high levels of fitness. As someone gets fitter, their training needs to become more polarized. The hard sessions get harder, and the easier sessions get easier. On the easy side, an athlete that starts out with lots of Zone 2 work will need to shift more and more of it to Zone 1 or Zone 0 as the years go by and their speeds increase. But WHOOP classifies Zone 1 as recovery work, so it doesnt' trigger an automatic activity recording. ### Day 5 - June 19 #### WHOOP admits that wrist monitoring kinda sucks. In 2018, I only got [semi-reasonable data from the WHOOP](https://www.scottsemple.com/should-whoop-change-its-name-to-whoops/#an-anaerobic-capacity-lactate-test) when I wore it on my arm as tight as possible over my brachial artery. In 2025, manual activity entries now ask for a device location... The options are: wrist band, bicep band, arm sleeve, compression top, shorts, leggings, underwear, bra, performance tank, swimsuit, cycling bib. While some of those locations seem much worse than a wrist band, it seems like an acknowledgment that location affects the reading. So why not just integrate with chest straps? ### Day 7 - June 21 #### Recovery metrics don't match energy levels. On June 19th, I slept nine hours, felt great, and woke up with really high energy levels. But WHOOP Recovery was in the yellow zone with a 66\. (I guess yellow means mediocre?) Last night, I slept seven fitful hours and woke up tired and groggy. WHOOP Recovery was in the green, 77, and posted an atta-boy of "enjoy the increased focus!" ### Day 8 - June 22 I did four 25-minute sessions in a track car. (I was surprised to see that WHOOP has an activity option for "motor racing".) While picking up on my stress was accurate, assuming it was a workout is nonsense. #### Stress detection is strong. Although curious what it would register, I didn't look at the WHOOP app until later in the day. I was surprised to see that the timing of the stress measurement matched when I started getting my car ready. (And it was hella hot, which didn't help.) And it picked up on the timing of each track session thereafter. #### Stress = Strain = Fitness = Nonsense While a BMI score may be more universal, fitness is specific to a goal. Equating all Strain with "fitness" is nonsensical. Fit for what? Four track sessions is not going to make me fitter for anything but heat resistance. Heart rates in amateur racing are in Zone 1 or less, and the elevated rates come from heat, stress, and dehydration, not from physical exertion. WHOOP defines an activity as "sustained, significant cardiovascular exertion," but this is not what happens in a track car. Significant cardiovascular exertion has such a high respiration rate that talking is impossible. Talking while driving—even while racing—is common and easy to do. ### Day 9 - June 23 #### Does activity detection improve? This morning I did a typical 45-minute Zone 1 run. My pace, breathing, effort level, and heart rate were the same as usual. For the past week, I've had to note these manually in the WHOOP app, but today it picked up on it accurately. Is it learning? ### Day 10 - June 24 #### Is the web app abandoned? I haven't checked since 2018, but comparing screenshots suggests that not much has been changed in the WHOOP web app. #### I don't like wearing two gadgets. Because I want to monitor my training with a real heart rate monitor (with a chest strap), I train wearing a watch and wear the watch—but not the strap—even when I'm not. Always having a second gadget on my other wrist is unappealing. #### I don't like increasing my phone usage. I'm always schemeing about ways to use my phone *less*, not more. So 24/7 monitoring with all of the data in my phone is the opposite type of behavior modification that I'm looking for. #### WHOOP is expensive. WHOOP plans vary between $199, $239, and $359 per year. For (a lot) less than $100, I'd consider it, but without any integration with real training data, it's not worth it. (Wrist-only heart rate monitoring and equating "strain"-ing with training doesn't cut it.) Instead, it's simple enough to use WHOOP through the free trial and then continnue with the positive behavior modifications: sleep more, avoid alcohol, prioritize recovery. ### Day 12 - June 26 #### Motor racing is not anaerobic... In a recent summary, WHOOP suggested that motor racing would give me the anaerobic boost that I needed: > Alternatively, **Motor Racing** offers a high-intensity option that could provide the anaerobic boost you need, with a strain of **10.1**. Track days and racing are stressful, but from heat, dehydration, and decision-making, not from a significant cardiovascular load, and certainly nothing anaerobic. (If you can talk while you do it, the cardiovascular load is low.) ### Day 13 - June 27 #### VO2max estimate seems likely. I haven't had a VO2 test in five years, but I was always in the low 60s. WHOOP estimates my current VO2 max at 59\. I'd be surprised if I didn't have a bigger drop due to age and a lack of training, but my guess would still be in the 50s. ### Day 14 - June 28 #### HRV still seems whack. If WHOOP is estimating HRV via the optical monitor, then it could be the algorithm that's whack. (Perhaps actually measuring HRV has become more useful.) But what WHOOP is reporting for HRV is inconsistent with how I feel each morning, similar to [how it was with ithlete](https://www.scottsemple.com/why-i-stopped-using-hrv-apps/). ### Day 18 - July 2 #### The novelty has worn off. Reality has set in. Whoop is helpful for nudging behavior in a healthy direction, but in huge contrast to its marketing, it is *not* a training device. ## Final Conclusions ### It's helpful for health. So far—and similar to [the first time](https://www.scottsemple.com/should-whoop-change-its-name-to-whoops/)—the WHOOP does do a good job of nudging me toward healthier choices: avoid alcohol, avoid screens at night, get lots of sleep, prioritize recovery. But genuine goal-specific fitness? I don't see how generic algorithms can connect the dots between an individual's idiosyncrasies and the maximized performance necessary for a specific goal at a specific time and place. ### Fatigue is not fitness. Equating every "strain" with a training stimulus is absurd. Heart rate itself is a stress metric, but not every rise in heart rate will lead to an increase in fitness. (Waiting to see the principal is not going to make a high school track star any faster.) But WHOOP seems to not know the difference between a stressor and a stimulus. And without the ability to sync with a real heart rate monitor—and an accompanying setting that says, "only use chest strap input for training stress"—WHOOP's "fitness" metrics are useless. (*But really*, I wouldn't be surprised if the inner circle at WHOOP has known this for years, even from the outset. The serious athlete market is microscopic, while the near-sedentary market is gigantic. And that market is primarily concerned with fatness, not fitness, and "straining" is probably enough to improve a person's beach body.) ### Consumer devices are for consumers. Although market-adjacent to—and marketed by—athletes, I doubt that anything but the health and habit functions are useful. For general, beach-ready "fitness", Strain might be enough to look good. But to perform well when you need to, real training technology is required. ## What would make WHOOP useful? Despite the marketing, Whoop cannot help athletes prepare for their goals directly. But **Whoop could be a great auxiliary device if it would:** 1. **Substitute optical heart rate recording when a chest strap is worn.** The fact that Whoop records where its worn reveals that they're aware that location has an influence on the quality of the recording. Pairing it with a chest strap—and overwriting the optical data with the chest strap data—would provide a much more accurate picture of the physical load and precise-enough data for training. 2. **Monitor heat adaptation.** The fatal flaw of [CORE](https://corebodytemp.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) is the necessity to designate when heat training is happening. Heat acclimatization happens more frequently than in training sessions. Only recording training sessions will underestimate the process. In contrast, a 24-hour device that monitored body temperature and heat acclimatization would be very useful. 3. **Distinguish between "straining" and training**, both in data types (optical monitor versus chest strap) and activity types (actual training activities vs life activities). "Strain" might be useful for monitoring life stress, but it's nonsense for training purposes. Likewise, non-sport-specific activities should not be included in the training metrics. 4. **Update the web app to be as useful as the mobile app.** For a device that nudges people toward better health decisions, it's surprising that they invest much more in a mobile app. Reducing phone usage is a nudge that benefits everyone. However, just like marketing for "training" is better for business than marketing health, investing more in their mobile software likely serves the same purpose. Their design priorities reveal their true motivation. 5. **Allow outright purchases.** I don't have an Oura ring, but I much prefer their business model. Paying hundreds once and having the device forever is much better than an exorbitant subscription that never ends. [Two tests seven years apart](https://www.scottsemple.com/whoop/) and the conclusion is the same: **Whoop has a great business strategy, but it has little in common with goal-specific training or high performance.** ## ### Five Benefits of Training in Silence URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/train-in-silence/ Last updated: 2025-10-30T15:26:17.000Z Since the early 2000s, I've been training in silence and paying attention to my breathing. The benefits are significant: 1. A quiet effort quiets the mind. 2. Idea generation increases 10-fold. 3. Increased awareness improves execution. 4. Synchronized breathing naturally limits intensity; and 5. Music becomes caffeine. --- > *The best meditate while they train or climb. This active meditation, while similar to passive meditation, connects thought and action, perception and reaction, instead of segregating components.* —Mark Twight, *Extreme Alpinism* --- ## Benefits of Training in Silence ### A quiet effort quiets the mind. Twenty years ago, my roommate Kim recommended *Body, Mind, & Sport*, by John Douillard, who champions nasal breathing, recommending it for all types of exercise.1 It sounded a bit woo-woo, but I gave it a shot. On an approach to the north side of Mt. Robson, I hiked in with a friend that is notoriously hyper and chatty. I mentioned the nasal breathing to him, and we both tried it. "How'd it go?" Kim asked when I got back. "We failed. But I mentioned the nasal thing, and he was quiet for two hours." "What? No way..." ### Idea generation increases ten-fold. The idea of having your "best ideas in the shower" is a common one, as it is with any borderline-boring, low-stimulation environment like staring out a bus window. Our [default mode network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Default%5Fmode%5Fnetwork?ref=scottsemple.com) gets switched on and starts connecting the dots between thought and experience. But unless you're a teenager, showers only last 10 minutes and bus rides are rare. And even if you shower every day, 10 minutes a day is only 61 hours per year. If you train in silence, the volume of idea generation—and the rate that they occur—is significantly higher. Not only does the DMN switch on, but higher-than-resting heart rates turbo-charge its processing. Rather than 61 hours per year at a resting rate in the shower, you have hundreds of hours per year at a much higher rate. And as an added benefit, training at a DMN-friendly intensity 95% of the time is exactly what you need to build [a strong aerobic base](https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-evolution/). ### Increased awareness improves execution. When running, I used to be a heel-striker. It felt normal, and I never thought anything of it. But after watching [a technique video by Bobby McGee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZKA2-Sb0Tk&ref=scottsemple.com), I decided to try and change my running form. It took a couple of seasons—and a lot of patience—for my calves to adjust to mid-foot striking, but now I can't imagine running any other way. (To feel the difference, try this: First, walk down a flight of stairs normally. Notice how little impact there is. Now do it again, but pull your toes up to heel strike as you descend. Awful, right?) When I started skimo racing, my transitions were hella slow. Others would enter and exit a transition zone before me, even if I arrived first. But by practicing slowly, in silence, and focusing on every movement, my transitions are now very competitive. (Any racer can have fast transitions [if they practice](https://www.skimoschool.com/technique/how-to-practice-transitions/?ref=scottsemple.com)). ### Synchronized breathing naturally limits intensity. Over the last twenty years, I've become familiar enough with my breathing that I know what intensity I'm at just by tracking my respiration alongside my cadence.2 [Ventilation is a more real-time measure of intensity](https://www.scottsemple.com/respiration-the-poor-mans-power-meter/) than heart rate, so if I'm running at a 4-in, 4-out ventilation rate, I know that I'm in Zone 1\. Or if skinning uphill at 2-in, 2-out, I know that I'm in Zone 2\. Or in an uphill race at 1-in, 1-out, I know I'm near anaerobic threshold and have a little more headroom to attack-defend or let it all out at the finish. ### Music becomes caffeine. Training in silence increases the benefit from infrequent, external motivators. Increasing the association between effort and fatigue3 also sensitizes me to dissassociative tools. So instead of being dependent on any external supports—like someone that needs coffee in the morning just to get to baseline—motivators like music feel incredible when I use them. Instead of craving the distraction of a podcast to endure every long session, silence is the norm. Instead of being dependent on music to get up to speed, it acts as rocket fuel when I need it. ## How to Train in Silence For the next month, train in silence in all easy sessions. You might need that long to get comfortable with it. 1. Turn off all notifications. (And do so every training session, forever.) 2. Synchronize your breathing and cadence. 3. Immerse yourself in "boredom". Let your mind wander. 4. Mind not wandering? Slow down. 5. Observe your movement patterns. What could you improve? --- 1. Years later while working with Scott Johnston, we recommended nasal breathing as a natural way to stay below aerobic threshold. But we found that it only worked reliably for athletes with a well-developed aerobic system—those with less than a 10% gap between aerobic and anaerobic thresholds. Athletes with underdeveloped or damaged aerobic systems (usually from too much high-intensity training) could still nasal breathe above AeT. As a result, we stopped using nasal breathing to target AeT. 2. I still wear a heart rate monitor so that I don't delude myself with RPE, but the main driver of intensity for 90% of my training is ventilation. 3. "In a study on triathletes ... the higher pain tolerance was related to higher associative coping skills and lower dissociative skills." (*The Science of Running*, Steve Magness) Meaning: Increase your ability to deal with discomfort by immersing yourself in it when you don't need to. ### Free PDF: How to Design a Training Plan URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-design-a-training-plan/ Last updated: 2025-07-01T13:19:15.000Z In advance of digging into each chapter of [*Arrowhead Endurance*](https://www.scottsemple.com/book/), I've created a 39-page summary of how I design training plans. ## What's in the summary? "How to Design a Training Plan" details the following six key phases: 1. **Determine the demands.** Figure out what your goal event will entail. This is the framework to structure your training around. 2. **Benchmark your baseline.** Test yourself to find out where you're starting from. 3. **Check yourself.** [BHAG](https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/bhag.html?ref=scottsemple.com)s are fine for motivation, but bite-size goals are better for progress. Don't bite off more than you can chew (in one sitting). 4. **Start at the extremes.** Modern training starts at the extremes—of patience, planning, strength, [speed](https://www.scottsemple.com/training/maximum-speed/), duration, and execution—and converges toward the demands of the goal event. 5. **Bridge the gap.** To get from the relevant extremes to goal readiness, it's necessary to use [converging periodization](https://www.scottsemple.com/tenets/what-is-converging-periodization/)—a methodical, progressive change in every workout. 6. **Arrive and thrive.** Athletes don't follow training plans. Training plans follow athletes. Learn how to make sensible adjustments when life doesn't cooperate. ## Download the PDF. To read the PDF, visit [the Downloads page](https://www.scottsemple.com/downloads/). ### Is light equipment overrated? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/is-light-equipment-overrated/ Last updated: 2025-07-01T13:19:27.000Z Last week, [I tested three different equipment setups](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-much-faster-is-skimo-race-gear/) and their impact on uphill speed. The verdict? **Every 1% removed from the feet increased uphill speed by 5%, with no speed penalty on the descent.** Here's the formula you need to make weight changes relevant to you: 1. **Calculate your total system weight:** 1. Weigh and sum your body weight, clothing (including helmet and gloves), and equipment (skins, skis, bindings, boots, and poles). For example: 1. Joe's total system weight is 75 kg; while 2. Sally's is 50kg. 2. **Multiply your total system weight by 0.01** to find what 1% means for you. 1. For example: 1. Joe's 1% is 750 grams: 75 kg x 0.01 = 0.75 kg; but 2. Sally's 1% is 500 grams: 50 kg x 0.01 = 0.50 kg. 3. If changing your total system weight, **divide the increase or decrease in weight by your 1%**. 1. If Joe and Sally are both thinking about upgrading their equipment and dropping their total system weight by 1.5 kg: 1. Joe's speed adjustment factor is: 1.5 kg / 0.75 = 2; but 2. Sally's speed adjustment factor is: 1.5 kg / 0.5 = 3. 4. **Multiply 5% by your speed adjustment factor** to get your speed adjustment percentage. 1. For example: 1. Joe's is: 5% x 2 = 10%; 2. Sally's is: 5% x 3 = 15%. 5. **Multiply your estimated time trial time by one minus your speed adjustment percentage.** 1. For example: 1. Joe's time would be adjusted by: 1 - 2 x 0.05 = 0.90; 2. Sally's time would be adjusted by: 1 - 3 x 0.05 = 0.85. If Joe and Sally were competing, and their time trial pace before the upgrade was 60 minutes, then after the upgrade, Joe's would be 54 minutes, while Sally's would be 51. ### Note that: - This is a fudgy formula. The real-world effects likely reach a point of diminishing returns, but those diminished returns usually occur much later than most people realize. - **The important thing is not the geekery but the big-picture principles:** - Weight has a much more significant impact than most people realize; - Weight has a more substantial effect on smaller people. Thanks for reading. For even more geekery, [read the full article](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-much-faster-is-skimo-race-gear/). ### How much faster is skimo race gear? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-much-faster-is-skimo-race-gear/ Last updated: 2025-06-30T13:55:19.000Z Inspired by [a Reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/skimo/comments/1isniem/how%5Fmuch%5Ftime%5Fcan%5Fi%5Fexpect%5Fto%5Fsave%5Fwith%5Fracing/?ref=scottsemple.com), I tested different-weight ski setups on the same terrain and conditions to measure the impact of weight on climb rate. To isolate weight as the only variable, I completed four laps at a controlled intensity: 1. with race gear; 2. with light touring; 3. with typical touring; and 4. again with race. 💡 Subscriber? Jump to [**How to Use the 1% Rule*](https://www.skimoschool.com/how-much-faster-is-skimo-race-gear/?ref=scottsemple.com#how-to-use-the-1-rule)**.* ## The Test - **To ensure precision, I used a chest strap heart rate monitor rather than an optical wrist sensor.** A chest strap directly measures heart rate via electrical activity, while a wrist monitor does so indirectly, measuring blood flow; - **To ensure a repeatable intensity, I targeted my aerobic threshold rather than my anaerobic.** Since the aerobic threshold can be maintained for hours, there's less chance of fatigue affecting the result; - **To compare different weights, I used three sets of ski equipment:** - Race: 1,526 grams per side, including skins, skis, bindings, boots, and poles; - Light Touring: 2,602 grams per side; and - Typical Touring: 3,286 grams per side. - **To minimize errors, I did four laps rather than three.** This served two purposes: - *To test the RPE of the first lap:* The first lap was a warm-up, so although my pace was constant, it took close to 15 minutes for my heart rate to reach my aerobic threshold.1 Heart rate always lags intensity, so I used a steady pace and waited for my heart rate to catch up.2 The fourth ascent was only 0.6% slower than the first—16:46 vs. 16:38—so I could confirm that my starting pace was correct. - *To test if fatigue was a factor:* Although the laps were short, I wanted to ensure that any increase in time was not due to fatigue and a slowing pace. By bookending the session with laps on the same equipment, I could compare the times and adjust if necessary. (However, with only a 0.6% time difference, an adjustment isn't required; the errors in GPS and VAM calculations are probably more significant.) ## Equipment Weight Here are the weights per component and the increases (in grams and percentages) compared to the Race equipment. | **Equipment (g)** | **Race** | **Light Touring** | **Typical Touring** | | ---------------------- | -------- | ----------------- | ------------------- | | Skins | 89 | 232 | 249 | | Skis | 650 | 1,045 | 1,265 | | Bindings | 140 | 154 | 292 | | Boots | 490 | 901 | 1,210 | | Poles | 156 | 270 | 270 | | **Total per side** | 1,526 | 2,602 | 3,286 | | Increase from Race (g) | \- | +1,076 | +1,760 | | Increase from Race (%) | \- | +70.5 | +115 | Compared to the Race equipment, Light Touring was 70.5% heavier, and Typical Touring was 115%. ## Lap Times | **Phases (m:s)** | **Race** | **Light Touring** | **Typical Touring** | **Race** | | --------------------------- | -------- | ----------------- | ------------------- | -------- | | Ascent | 16:38 | 19:01 | 19:58 | 16:46 | | Transition | 00:22 | 00:52 | 01:01 | 00:17 | | Descent | 01:22 | 01:23 | 01:533 | 01:313 | | Top Speed (km/h) | 70.0 | 75.2 | N/A3 | 74.43 | | Avg HR (% max) | N/A | 84 | 84 | 85 | | **Total Lap** | 18:22 | 21:16 | 22:52 | 18:34 | | Increase, ascent only (m:s) | \- | +02:23 | +03:20 | \- | | Increase, ascent only (%) | \- | +14.3 | +20.0 | +0.01 | | Feeling when starting | Normal | Oof. Slow. | No. Please, no. | Weeee! | Compared to the Race laps, Light Touring was 14.3% slower; Typical Touring, 20%. ## Conclusions ### Gear weight significantly affects uphill efficiency. Adding just over a kilogram (per side) decreased the climb rate by 14% between the Race setup and Light Touring. ### For the full impact, the total system weight must be compared. It's misleading to consider only the equipment. The weight increase between Race and Light Touring was 70%. In isolation, that suggests a significant change is needed to affect the climb rate, but the actual tipping point is much lower. In contrast, the increase in weight compared to the **total system weight—gear plus clothing plus body weight**—**is proportionally slight**. In this case, it was only 2.87%. \\(\\text{Weight Increase} = \\frac{77,204 - 75,052}{75,052} \\times 100 = \\frac{2,152}{75,052} \\times 100 = 2.87\\%\\) ### Every 1% increase in total system weight resulted in a 5% decrease in ascent speed. Only when total body weight is included can we calculate the actual impact. #### System weights for a **70 kg skier**: \\(\\text{Total System Weight} = \\text{body weight} + \\text{clothing} + \\text{equipment}\\) \\(\\text{Total System Weight (Race)} = 70,000 + 2,000 + 2(1,526) = 75,052 \\text{ g}\\) \\(\\text{Total System Weight (Light Touring)} = 70,000 + 2,000 + 2(2,602) = 77,204 \\text{ g}\\) #### Percentage **increase in weight**: \\(\\text{Weight Increase} = \\frac{77,204 - 75,052}{75,052} \\times 100 = \\frac{2,152}{75,052} \\times 100 = 2.87\\%\\) #### Time penalty **per 1% weight increase**: \\(\\frac{\\text{Time Increase (\\%)}}{\\text{Weight Increase (\\%)}} = \\frac{14.3}{2.87} = 4.99\\) 🤓 Math FTW! ### Lighter equipment has a bigger impact on smaller people. Increasing equipment weight by 1 kg is a 1% increase (and likely a 5% slowdown) for a 100 kg person. But for a 70 kg person, 1 kg is a 1.43% increase (likely a 7.1% slowdown).4 ### Transitions with Race gear are no contest. Although the times were decent, considering the awkwardness of the equipment, the **touring transitions were still three times slower**. ### Better skis don't make for faster descents. I didn't descend at race pace, but at roughly the same feel. The top speeds of Race and Light Touring were pretty much the same—74.4 km/h versus 75.0—despite having much more confidence in the edge grip of the Light Touring setup. ## What wasn't tested ### Is there a minimum weight that triggers the slowdown? It appears not. Weight increases as low as 100 grams have an effect. [How Much Do Heavy Shoes Slow You Down?A study finds that adding even a few ounces affects race times.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/icon/favicon.7c41e8e.ico)Runner's Worldalex hutchinson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/thumbnail/shoe-wall-1508879213.jpg)](https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/a20822339/how-much-do-heavy-shoes-slow-you-down/?ref=scottsemple.com) ### Does the location of the weight matter? Yes. The general rule of thumb is that increased weight on the feet is equivalent to five times that on your back—similar to what I found with my quick-and-dirty test. Study: [Energy cost of backpacking in heavy boots](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00140138608968276?ref=scottsemple.com), ### How does duration change the effect? I suspect longer durations make the slowdown worse. It's well-known that high-cadence, low-load movement patterns are more aerobic than low-cadence, high-load patterns. Increased weight increases the muscular load, increasing the demand for fast-twitch muscle fiber. A fast-twitch muscle fiber is more glycolytic, burning carbohydrates faster. **A heavier load not only reduces speed but also decreases fuel efficiency.** If you consume more carbohydrates per unit of effort, your glycogen reserves will deplete faster. This will result in an earlier onset of fatigue and, in the worst case, bonking sooner. ## Pounds make pain. > Ounces make pounds, and pounds make pain. The inverse is also true: removing weight creates joy. It felt horrible when I switched from Race to Light Touring and then worse again to Typical Touring. But from Typical Touring to Race, it was a thrill. The opposite sentiment? "Go light, delight!" --- 1. **To force a specific heart rate in too short a time is "wagging the dog".** Because of heart rate lag, the initial speed would be too high, and heart rate would misrepresent the intensity. In this case, that extra speed would have overstated the importance of lightweight equipment. 2. When training, **I always note my ventilation patterns relative to my heart rate.** With that experience, I can maintain specific intensities by monitoring ventilation for different durations. For uphill hiking and skinning, breathing with a two-steps-in, two-steps-out rhythm for 15+ minutes will be about aerobic threshold. (In contrast, two-in, two-out at the start of a race is closer to anaerobic threshold because it can only be held for \~5 minutes.) 3. **I had to interrupt these descents** in the interest of skier-snowcat diplomacy. In between runs, a snowcat started work on part of my descent, so I had to slow down and detour. Interestingly, the top speed of the second Race run was still close to that of Light Touring. 4. Going alpine climbing? This demonstrates why **evenly distributing weight between packs is inefficient—it slows smaller team members more than larger ones.** For the highest team speed, pack weight should be scaled according to the person's weight. (My climbing partners who outweigh me by 50 pounds always balk at this idea...) --- ## How to use "The 1% Rule" 1. **Calculate your total system weight:** 1. Weigh and sum your body weight, clothing (including helmet and gloves), and equipment (skins, skis, bindings, boots, and poles). 2. For example: 1. Joe's total system weight is 75 kg; while 2. Sally's is 50kg. 2. **Multiply your total system weight by 0.01** to find what 1% means for you. 1. For example: 1. Joe's 1% is 750 grams: 75 kg x 0.01 = 0.75 kg; but 2. Sally's 1% is 500 grams: 50 kg x 0.01 = 0.50 kg. 3. If changing your total system weight, **divide the increase or decrease in weight by your 1%**. 1. For example, if Joe and Sally are both thinking about upgrading their equipment and dropping their total system weight by 1.5 kg: 1. Joe's speed adjustment factor is: 1.5 kg / 0.75 = 2; but 2. Sally's speed adjustment factor is: 1.5 kg / 0.5 = 3. 4. **Multiply 5% by your speed adjustment factor** to get your speed adjustment percentage. 1. For example: 1. Joe's is: 5% x 2 = 10%; 2. Sally's is: 5% x 3 = 15%. 5. **Multiply your estimated time trial time by one minus your speed adjustment percentage.** 1. For example: 1. Joe's time would be adjusted by: 1 - 2 x 0.05 = 0.90; 2. Sally's time would be adjusted by: 1 - 3 x 0.05 = 0.85. If Joe and Sally were competing, and their time trial pace before the upgrade was 60 minutes, then after the upgrade, Joe's would be 54 minutes, while Sally's would be 51. ### Note that: - This is a fudgy formula. The real-world effects likely reach a point of diminishing returns, but those diminished returns usually occur much later than most people realize. - The important thing is not the geekery but the big-picture principles: - Weight has a significant impact, much more than most people realize; - Weight has a more significant effect on smaller people. ### Sand Castles: A Mental Model of Endurance Training URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/sandcastles-a-mental-model-of-endurance-training/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T13:53:18.000Z [My first version](https://www.scottsemple.com/sand-castles-a-mental-model-of-endurance-training/) of *Sand Castles* was published at Uphill Athlete [on May 11th, 2018](https://web.archive.org/web/20190216194849/https://www.uphillathlete.com/model-of-endurance-training/). This version is better. --- **The "sand" of endurance training is aerobic capacity**, which primarily comes from high-volume, low-intensity training. Aerobic capacity is a long-term "more is better" component, but it eventually runs into lifestyle constraints. **The "water" is intensity**, which has to be applied in the right amount at the right time. It's a Goldilocks component; you need it just right—not too much, not too little. **The necessary expertise** to combine the sand and water **comes from experience, good coaching, or both.** ## **Basic endurance is dry sand.** Basic endurance is like piling perfectly dry sand. Without any moisture content, the grains won't stick together. The sand is always piled in a cone. With only a cone of sand, the returns diminish as the pile gets higher. Each additional inch of height requires a greater volume of sand to cover the previous one. Eventually—due to genetics or life constraints—you can't add any more. ![A hand-drawn illustration of a cone of sand, with each additional inch of height requiring a greater and greater volume of sand. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/09/sandcastles-Greater-height-demands-greater-volume-1024x683-1.jpg) Each additional inch for the pile demands a greater and greater amount of total sand. | Illustration by Scott Semple ## Intensity is water. Adding intensity to a training program is like adding water to a pile of sand. With some moisture, you can start to shape the sand. Shaping the sand allows for taller piles and interesting shapes. You aren't limited to dry cones. It lets you steepen and sculpt the pile and increase the height without needing as much volume. Adding some intensity is exciting and gratifying because: - You can shape and sculpt faster; - You can make the pile steeper; and - *It gives the illusion of a shortcut*—changes happen quickly. ![A hand-drawn illustration of an equation: a low-angle pile of sand plus some water equals a higher-angle pile of sand ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/09/Add-water-to-dry-sand-to-make-it-steeper.png) Adding water increases the angle of repose, reducing the additional volume required for an additional unit of height. | Illustration by Scott Semple ## If a little water is good, is a lot of water better? With sandcastles, obviously not. But what's an obvious mistake with a sandcastle is, for most people, just a little too tempting in training. With sandcastles, no one says: > It's falling over! Add more water! or > If water is better than sand, let's just use water! But self-defined intensity is also *fun*—true high-intensity is not—so the temptation in training is hard to see for what it is: an illusion. *Too much water is destructive*, not productive. (...unless your selling short-term-focused exercise fads. Then, gratification via intensity is The Money.) ![A hand-drawn illustration of a watering can being poured onto an oozing puddle of sand](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/09/sandcastles-Too-much-water-destroys-the-castle-1024x683.jpg) "More water!" is a great way to wreck a sandcastle. | Illustration by Scott Semple ## A Stronger, Smarter Approach Basic endurance is the foundation. It must continually grow. Intensity refines the structure, but it can't stand alone. Great training is about balance, knowing when to add water and when to add more sand. ### Plan your attack. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/plan-your-attack/ Last updated: 2025-06-28T19:59:18.000Z With a map in hand and hours of preview behind you, **identify where you’ll perform best**. Consider your background in other sports, the movement patterns you excel at, and your strengths—or limitations—relative to the field. Are you: - **A Nordic skier?** Maximize your efficiency on flat or false-flat sections with diagonal stride. - **A trail runner?** Use changes in terrain to switch fluidly between gliding and striding. - **A cyclist?** Identify sections where a higher cadence gives you an edge. - **An alpine climber?** Take advantage of bootpacks—your legs are used to a high, deliberate stride. - **A speed skater?** Exploit your power to grab the hole shot and reach the skintrack first. (But if untrained for this, it’s a terrible idea.) - **An alpine ski racer?** Make up time with superior downhill skills. - **Older than the field? Less-talented?**1 Focus on efficiency. Out-practice everyone on transitions. Dial your hydration routine. Figure out your sweat rate and carry exactly the fluid you'll need. Everyone will be surging above and below their anaerobic threshold. Raw physical capacity isn’t the only determinant of performance—**use your background to gain an edge**. --- 1. When I started skimo racing at 39, I was a type-A ex-alpine climber. I compensated for my age and less-than-world-class genes with a boatload of training, an OCD focus on efficiency, and by attacking hardest on the steepest sections. ### Preview the course. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/preview-the-course/ Last updated: 2026-02-26T15:23:51.000Z **During a typical skimo race**, racers suffer from panic-and-lactate-induced tunnel vision. Your **focus narrows** and your **decision-making suffers**. What you might notice with a resting heart rate becomes invisible at your anaerobic threshold—unless you've previewed the course and already know where to go. To avoid losing your way: 1. **Contact the race organizers** and ask for: a. *A course map—*essential to efficiently preview the event; and b. *The location of the warm-up area*—a test of how serious the organizers are about holding a skimo race. (Sadly, the warm-up question is often met with confusion, but at least it plants a seed.) 2. Races are typically half-in, half-out of resorts. So it's a good idea to **go a few days in advance and preview**: a. *Course layout*—the general profile of the race; b. *Descents*—on-piste, off-piste, snow quality; c. *Transition zones*; and d. *Quality of flagging*—note if and where it’s less clear than it should be.1 3. **If your preview is close to the race**, *do not ski hard and do not ski all day*. A general training rule is to avoid strength training 7-10 days before an event. Downhill skiing is similar. If you ski too hard a few days out, it'll likely have a negative effect on your race. Be disciplined; save your legs for the race. When route-setting, the brain has enough bandwidth to use a wide-angle lens; at race pace, a zoom lens.2 So what is obvious and well-flagged to a route-setter at a ski touring pace is very easy to miss at full throttle. To avoid missing important decision points, **preview the course when you have time—rather than going off-course when you don't.** --- 1. In six years of racing, flagging and signage was obvious only once: when it was done by a racer. Hat tip to [Eric Carter](https://www.ridgelineathletics.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) for making the route-finding dead simple. 2. To create a little empathy, I've often thought of gifting race organizers with goggles with two toilet paper tubes taped to them. ### The Skimo Cheat Sheet: 32 Tips URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/the-skimo-cheat-sheet-32-tips/ Last updated: 2025-07-01T13:20:29.000Z With the best time for training long past, **The Skimo Cheat Sheet is your best bet to get faster right now**. You can download it below. ## What is the Skimo Cheat Sheet? The Skimo Cheat Sheet is **a collection of 32 tips** that will give you a faster race with a minimum of effort. - **Paradigms:** Three ideas to embrace, 10 to avoid. (More on the latter later.) - **Training:** Skip it. By February, it's too late to build any significant fitness. - **Technique:** Four skills to practice. - **Tactics:** Four strategies to improve performance. - **Tools:** Seven ways to prep your gear. - **Tenets:** Three principles of racing. ## The Download To get the cheat sheet, visit the [Downloads](https://www.scottsemple.com/downloads/) page. ### The Pure Speed Cheat Sheet URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-train-pure-speed/ Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:30:45.000Z Next week, I'll have a full description of the importance of training pure speed and how to structure it. Here's the super short version: ## Periodization Maximum speed is primarily a capacity-building tool. Hand-in-hand with maximum strength and maximum (effective) duration, **building capacity should come at the beginning of a macrocycle.** ## Venues Most athletes can train maximum speed with their **typical training venues, but** **mountain runners** **should avoid using a flat track** for fear of injury. Instead, find a gradually steepening hill between 10 and 25%. ## Protocol The following protocol is adapted from Steve Magness' *The Science of Running*.[1](#fn:1) **Frequency can be once** a week alongside maximum strength **or twice a week** on its own. | Week | Reps & Work | Incline | | ---- | --------------------- | -------- | | 1 | 6x 8s | steep | | 2 | 8x 8s | steep | | 3 | 10x 8s | steep | | 4 | 4x 8s | moderate | | 5 | 8x 10s | steep | | 6 | 5x 10s | moderate | | 7 | 10x 10s | steep | | 8 | 2x 8s, 2x 10s, 2x 12s | moderate | Note: Recoveries between reps should be 2-3 minutes and *passive*... ## Benefits It's the top rung of the speed ladder on the way down to race pace. Inspired by Renato Canova[2](#fn:2), [my method](https://www.scottsemple.com/about/) uses converging periodization. **Macrocycles should start by building capacity at the extremes** (of speed, duration, strength, and execution) and work their way toward goal pace. --- 1. [*The Science of Running*](https://www.scottsemple.com/bibliography) was one of the first books that [Scott Johnston](https://evokeendurance.com/coaching-scott-johnston/?ref=scottsemple.com) suggested I read when I started training for skimo. I had come across Magness' blog before, but I assumed (from the number of typos) that he couldn't know what he was talking about. I was wrong. [↩](#fnref:1 "return to article") 2. In 2015, I started reading Canova from obscure PDFs, [his comments](https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat%5Fread.php?thread=374686&ref=scottsemple.com) on the LetsRun bulletin board, and his hard-to-find book, [*A Scientific Approach to the Marathon*](https://www.scottsemple.com/bibliography). Adding to the difficulty was learning Engli-talian. [↩](#fnref:2 "return to article") ### Four Key Ingredients of Pure Speed URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/four-key-ingredients-of-pure-speed/ Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:31:00.000Z Although the saying "speed work makes the dream work" makes me throw up in my mouth, I can't deny the truth of the claim. Speed is important, even for mountain sports. But how to train pure speed is not as well known as the cliched phrase. ## The volume is super low. Pure speed is a small reservoir. Once it's empty, banging on the drum doesn't get anything out of it but frustration. **The total number of reps available is 5-10**, maybe 15 with lots of experience. ## Sprints are super short. To hit the right intensity, each rep needs to be *very* short. Saying "30-second sprint" is a lot like "devout atheist" or "jumbo shrimp." **The duration per rep is only 5 to 12 seconds.** ## Sprints are not maximal. The effort needs to be *near*\-maximal, not full-out. In the gap between near- and maximal is a calm mind and perfect execution. Stay relaxed, and maintain good form. Going all out will hinder both. **Think 95%, not 100.** ## The rests are really long. Much of the benefit comes from muscle fiber recruitment and stimulating the anaerobic system. To *repeatedly* hit the right intensity, **rests must be 2-3 minutes and *passive*.** Don't just do something; sit there! --- In a future post, I'll detail the workout protocols and benefits of sprinting, according to Olbrecht, Canova, Magness, and Verkhoshansky. ### The serious athlete is neglected. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/the-serious-athlete-is-neglected/ Last updated: 2026-03-13T15:11:35.000Z Serious athletes are largely on their own to find the training resources that they need to excel. And those resources are often [hard to find](https://runningwritings.com/2023/06/canova-marathon-book.html?ref=scottsemple.com), [hard to understand](https://www.verkhoshansky.com/SSTManualforCoacheswithAustralia/tabid/118/Default.aspx?ref=scottsemple.com), and [hard to believe](https://www.lactate.com/bkolbr.html?ref=scottsemple.com). ## Publishers want products that scale. > The serious committed \[athlete\] is neglected. There are very few books, magazines, or even advertisements aimed at the \[athlete\] looking to maximize performance ... as we get further and further from the recreational \[athlete\], the resources become increasingly sparse. > —*Steve Magness, \*The Science of Running\** 1 To thrive, **publishers need to maximize book sales and advertising revenue**. Service providers need broad appeal and plans or products that scale. With growth as a priority, both need to target the largest market: recreationalists in general and beginners in particular. To best serve that broad market, training information has to be straightforward and generic. **With participation in much higher demand than performance, most content is written for the former but marketed as the latter.** And to really be successful, it also has to be gratifying. Having fun and making quick wins are a much easier sell than long-term commitment and delayed gratification. **Bespoke training advice is uncommon because it doesn't scale.** ## But serious athletes have unique needs. > *Finally, it involves figuring out what works best for you. While the general principles of training apply to most everyone, your own specific training needs are unique and different from everyone else's, and you can only uncover the “perfect formula” by trial and error.* > —John Davis, \*Modern Training & Physiology for Distance Runners*\** Maximizing performance is very different from surviving participation. **Maximizing performance demands:** - **A long-term focus:** What works in the short-term is often counter-productive in the long-term; - **Patience:** Performance can only be maximized over many years, not in a few months, and certainly not in weeks; - **Consistency:** Increasing adaptation demands an almost-constant stimulus. Off-and-on training—or worse, switching between unrelated sports—will sabotage progress; - **Bespoke planning:** What works well for one athlete, may have little effect on another. Generic training prescriptions will get less-than-ideal results; - **Flexibility:** Adaptation is very individual and often unpredictable. To really progress, athletes cannot follow plans. Plans have to follow athletes. **As a serious athlete increases fitness and gains experience, their training plans will less and less resemble what everyone else is doing.** That makes for a very small market and very few publishers and providers that want to service it. ## So serious research is often a solo effort. > Self‑education through exploration requires enormous amounts of unscheduled time—time to do whatever one wants to do, without pressure, judgment, or intrusion. That time is needed to play with ideas and materials, experience and overcome boredom, learn from one’s own mistakes, and develop passions. > —Peter Gray Publishers and service providers want to serve the largest market, beginners and recreationalists. By catering to the recreational market, a dearth of high-end training knowledge is created. **The best high-end training resources are often obscure, densely written, and (sometimes) badly translated.** It's tedious to find them and takes hours of geekery to wade through. **Athletes looking for high-end training advice need to search farther and wider to find what they need**, ignore a lot of what they see and read along the way, and tolerate being seen as crazy for doing so. Most of us are not full-time athletes. Or full-time geeks. So for most **a side gig in training research is not realistic.** It's easier to grab a top-ten list from *Men's Journal* and hope it works. And without an alternate history to compare it to, many assume any small gain means that it did, even though it can't. ## Which is why I'm writing [*From Geek to Freak*](https://www.scottsemple.com/from-geek-to-freak/). I've spent 25 years doing the searching, reading, thinking, and testing. Now it's time to pass it on. I started climbing in 1996 and studying endurance training under [Scott Johnston](https://evokeendurance.com/coaching-scott-johnston/?ref=scottsemple.com) in 2005\. In 2013, I got serious and decided to see if I could maximize my aerobic capacity and express it as a [skimo racer](http://www.ismf-ski.org/?ref=scottsemple.com).2 That led to coaching and [facilitating several client records](https://www.scottsemple.com/testimonials/). Today, I have 300,000 words in notes, and 20,000 words in a first draft. My goal with *From Geek to Freak* is to build a specific do-this, do-that process that helps serious athletes design their own training program. I want to compile what I've learned from multiple sports, coaches, and physiologists and present it in a step-by-step program. The book will be built with clear instructions, a library of tools, and caveats from my own experience. Readers will be able to build an effective training program for their chosen sport. (And the geekery will be optional...) It's time for mountain athletes to start using the best of what other sports have already figured out. --- 1. In *The Science of Running*, Magness originally wrote "the serious committed runner." But the statement is true for not just runners, but any athlete intent on maximizing performance over the long-term (which is the only timeframe over which it can happen.) 2. Between 2013 to 2019, I increased my aerobic and anaerobic threshold speeds by almost 30%. I qualified for the Canadian National Team and competed at the World Championships. ### What is converging periodization? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/what-is-converging-periodization/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T12:00:09.000Z The key ingredient in modern training methods is "converging periodization".1 It has six components and five phases. ## Six Components ### a pace-specific planning method Periodization is planning what type of training to focus on when throughout a macrocycle.2 Training components are planned well in advance—typically over months and, with big goals, years—using macrocycles and mesocycles. For an annual routine, I like to use: - Two 26-week macrocycles per year each split into two 13-week blocks; and - Mesocycles of 12 weeks for capacity, eight weeks for power, four weeks to peak, and two weeks for performance and recovery. To determine the target goal pace, the objective must be modeled and compared to either previous efforts or best estimates based on relevant fitness tests. ### that develops four training vectors The "big four" training factors are strength, speed, duration, and execution. These are obviously not unique to Arrowhead Endurance, but the approach to training them has some subtle differences. - **Strength** is often neglected by endurance athletes, and especially by mountain athletes. The idea is to increase muscle fiber recruitment with very high loads and then train the new recruits to work aerobically.3 - [**Speed**](https://www.scottsemple.com/maximum-speed/) is often under-developed. Rarely do endurance athletes work above race pace or anaerobic threshold, especially those that are training for long-duration events. There are benefits to working well above those paces.4 - **Duration** is more widely applicable than distance. When terrain is predictable (i.e. in road running), then distance and pace is enough to inform training. But when terrain is variable or unpredictable, duration is a better metric.4 - **Execution** is often neglected, especially in cyclic sports like running and cycling. But significant gains can come from becoming more efficient by pruning wasteful movement patterns. ### and trains them concurrently Unlike traditional periodization, converging periodization progresses all four training factors at the same time throughout a macrocycle rather than in sequence. Nothing is left behind.5 ### by starting at the extremes The "arrowhead" in converging periodization starts with each component at its maximum *effective* intensity. (See the diagram at the top of this post.) - Strength starts maximal, slow, and low volume. - Speed starts maximal, short, and low volume. - Duration starts at maximal *effective*—not absolute maximum—slow, and high volume. - Execution starts messy, slow, and high volume. As the mess disappears, speed increases with stress.6 ### and progressing each component Unless there are unplanned breaks (from illness, injury, or interference), workouts should always progress and rarely repeat.7 - For strength: As loads decrease, speed and volume increase; - For speed: As speeds decrease, duration and volume increase; - For duration: As duration decreases, speed increases and volume decreases; and - For execution: As technique improves, speed and stress increase and volume decreases. A changing stimulus will prolong adaptation, but it has to be structured. Random stimuli will not maximize performance for specific goals. ### toward a goal event. The business end of the "arrowhead" is determined by the combination of factors required to perform in a goal event at a goal pace at a specific time in the future. To get the best performance, every factor must be goal-ready at the same place and time. But special attention has to be paid to the different demands of different events and the athlete pursuing them: - A marathon is flat, 42.2 kilometers, and largely steady state. But running it in two, three, or four hours makes for three different events with equally different demands. - A typical skimo race is 15 km and 1600m of vertical gain. But different durations will determine sustainable output levels. A two-hour race will average below anaerobic threshold with several surges above. A four-hour race will likely stay well below. - The Presidential Traverse demands a sustained climb of 1200m over 6 km, a rolling ascent (up 960m, down 620m) over 9.5 km, a rolling descent (up 250m, down 880m) over 8.2 km, and then a pounding descent of 720 m over 4.7 km. A [sub-4-hour FKT](https://fastestknowntime.com/route/presidential-traverse-nh?ref=scottsemple.com) will probably average around aerobic threshold while an all-day hike will be far below. A "goal event" is not just a bucket list item scratched on a calendar. It also has to take into account the athlete that wants to attempt it, the difference between current and desired fitness, and how to bridge that gap. ## The phases of converging periodization are: 1. Set up the scaffold (to support your training). 2. Benchmark your baseline (as a starting point). 3. Determine the demands (of the event). 4. Predict your perfect pace (to provide an estimate). 5. Check yourself (to see if your goal is realistic). 6. Start training at the extremes (of strength, speed, duration, and execution). 7. Bridge the gap (with converging periodization). 8. Arrive & thrive (at your goal event); and 9. Rest, recover, and repeat. --- 1. Other descriptions you may hear are "funnel" or "mixed" periodization. For me, those don't capture the process, so I started calling it "converging" periodization. 2. Traditional periodization is linear. It starts with a focus on long, easy sessions and gradually progresses to shorter and faster as the athlete moves through a macrocycle. It leaves a lot of low-hanging fruit unpicked. Converging periodization is more sophisticated. It includes linear periodization, but as only one piece of the puzzle. 3. For strength work, a key influence was Yuri Verkhoshansky’s *Special Strength Training for Coaches*. 4. Renato Canova’s ideas and programs on developing both speed and duration created many big “aha!” moments. The trick was converting pace and distance to usable intensities for variable terrain. And translating Engli-talian. 5. Steve Magness’ *The Science of Running* is a great summary of modern training theory and practice. “Nothing left behind” is a key concept. 6. Note that messy execution only applies to sport-specific movements at low loads. Strength work, especially maximal work, demands proper execution at all times. 7. Training progressions have to follow the athlete, not the other way around. Jan Olbrecht’s “steering principle” from *The Science of Winning* is essential. ### Can a three-hour run reveal aerobic threshold? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/can-a-three-hour-run-reveal-aerobic-threshold/ Last updated: 2024-05-12T10:53:59.000Z Oliver asked: > Is it crude to use the average heart rate from a 3-hour run to roughly guesstimate aerobic threshold (AeT)? **It depends on training history.** The long run could hint at reality, but it's best to test it to get a closer value. For someone with a well-developed aerobic system, the 3-hour pace could be lower than aerobic threshold. For someone under-developed, it could be higher. For example, I trained an incredible runner with an AeT road pace of 18 kph. It was so close to his *anaerobic* threshold (AnT) pace, there's no way he could hold it for three hours. But metabolically, it was largely aerobic with lactate just less than 2 mM. On the other hand, I trained a very strong ex-marine who previously overdosed on high-intensity. His AnT HR was 180 while his AeT HR was 130; a crazy-big gap. His aerobic system was so wrecked when we started that he could barely move without going above AeT. (To his credit, he stuck with the program and eventually moved his AeT HR up to 160.) So **for the first runner, a 3-hour average would be well below aerobic threshold. For the marine, it could easily be above.** ### What is your preferred method of testing anaerobic threshold? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/what-is-your-preferred-method-of-testing-anaerobic-threshold/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:01:42.000Z Oliver asked: > I have been getting frustrated using aerobic threshold and thought I was just doing something wrong/not reading the data correctly... Yes, **aerobic threshold can be confusing**. It *is* the most important threshold, but there's too much kung-fu interpretation and explanation that goes on. For my own training, I would prioritize it, but for coaching, I would use anaerobic threshold. You can get 90% of the way there using some simpler rules of thumb. > What is your preferred method of testing anaerobic threshold? I prefer using **a \~4 mM lactate test on a calibrated treadmill at a sport-specific incline**, but that comes with some important caveats: 1. **Know that \~4 mM is only a *proxy*** for anaerobic threshold. It's not worth pinning it down precisely, \~4 mM will be close enough, and you can test it with less fatigue than a field or lab test; 2. **The treadmill needs to be calibrated** to get accurate data because most brands' treadmill accuracy is horrible. The one brand I would trust is a Woodway (but they're crazy expensive;) 3. The treadmill test will give you a pace and heart rate for AnT. Use the pace as the benchmark for constant-grade training (i.e. treadmill, flat road, etc). Use the heart rate as the benchmark for variable terrain; and 4. For road runners, I would test with a 1-2% incline (depending on the pace) to compensate for the lack of wind resistance. **For mountain athletes, use a 20-25% incline depending on the event they're training for.** For skimo, 25%. **My second choice is the** [**30-minute Friel field test**](https://joefrieltraining.com/determining-your-lthr/?ref=scottsemple.com)**.** (The tests are virtually the same.) In order to not force the pace, a field test should be done alone and *not on a treadmill*. Social pressure will force the pace, and it's too easy to do the same thing on a treadmill. ### Detraining: How far can you fall? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/detraining-how-far-can-you-fall/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T12:35:48.000Z Back **in February 2019**, I did a lactate test and hit **a personal record in climb rates**[**1**](#fn1) at my anaerobic and aerobic thresholds. A month later, I succeeded in my goal to not DFL[2](#fn2) at the [ISMF](http://www.ismf-ski.org/webpages/?ref=scottsemple.com) World Championships in Switzerland. I finished the season 6th in Canada overall. But **today, I'm in a very different position**. Three years is several generations in the short life of [mitochondria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrion?ref=scottsemple.com). I'm near-sedentary, and my fitness has fallen off a cliff. **How far has my fitness fallen?** On a recent trip home to Canmore, Alberta, I fired up my NordicTrack incline trainer, [calibrated the crappy accuracy out of it](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-calibrate-a-treadmill/), and did a lactate test. #### Table of Contents 1. [Factors](#factors) a. [Detraining](#detraining) b. [Lifestyle](#lifestyle) 2. [Testing Environment](#testing-environment) 3. [Test Results](#test-results) 4. [Follow-Up Questions](#follow-up-questions) a. [Is my previous peak restorable?](#with-proper-training-is-my-previous-peak-restorable) b. [Would it come back quicker?](#if-it-were-restorable-would-it-come-back-quicker) c. [But motivation is absent](#but-motivation-is-key) 5. [Conclusion](#conclusion) a. [Homeostasis is vicious](#homeostasis-is-vicious) b. [My fitness has fallen off a cliff...](#my-fitness-has-fallen-off-a-cliff) c. [...but not as far as I thought.](#but-not-as-far-as-i-thought) ![An image of a Performance Management Chart, showing the effect on Chronic Training Load (CTL) of three years of detraining.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/03/detraining-pmc-2019-to-2022.webp) My Performance Management Chart, showing the effect on Chronic Training Load (CTL) of three years of detraining. ## Factors ### Detraining **I haven't trained in three years.** My motivation for training peaked in 2019 (and then *slooooowly* troughed). Since then, I've made a few half-hearted attempts at getting back on the horse. But living in a non-mountainous environment, the COVID-19 hassle with training (venues) and racing (masks), and my changing priorities conspired against my fitness. Instead, as my Training Peaks CTL chart shows, I'm barely non-sedentary, and only doing the random and occasional run or bike ride. **My Chronic Training Load (CTL)**[3](#fn3) **has plummeted.** My CTL has dropped 95% (from 124 to 6) between January 2019 and April 2022\. That coincides with a drop in training volume from 730 hours in my final skimo season to 166 hours in the 365 days previous to my April 2022 lactate test. ### Lifestyle **I now live at a much lower altitude.** For the past 2.5 years, I've been sleeping at 1,000 above sea level (ASL) and living at 500' ASL (work, school, and life happen slightly lower than where we live). When I was training for skimo, I lived at 4,300' ASL and trained at or above that same altitude. **I don't live in the mountains.** This is a motivation issue more than anything. I now live in the green hills of Vermont and miss the jagged limestone of the Canadian Rockies. (The skimo scene is incredibly keen here, so my low motivation is all on me, not Vermont.) **My sons are growing up, and I don't want to miss it.** Our oldest son is 18 and just got his own apartment. Our youngest son is 12, soon to be a teenager. I can feel that the natural progression from boys to men is only going to increase and accelerate. I'm greedy to maximize my time with them rather than with my heart rate monitor. ## Testing Environment **Both tests were done on a calibrated NordicTrack incline trainer at a 25% grade and at 4,300' ASL.** Most treadmills, NordicTrack included, have really [shitty speed accuracy](https://www.scottsemple.com/training-on-a-treadmill-accuracy-versus-precision/). My treadmill typically reads 16 to 19% *slower* than the actual speed. A friend's (same model) reads \~12% slower. (Unless it's a Woodway, you need to calibrate your treadmill to get accurate results.) **My PR test was on February 19th, 2019.** That was one month before competing at the World Championships and during my best season ever. I finished 6th overall in Canada, and my best race result was 3rd in the sprint at Canadian Nationals. At the time, I was 45 years old, 69 kg, and fairly lean. **My detraining test was on April 4th, 2022.** I tested at the same altitude as all prior tests but after only 48 hours of acclimatization. The elevation is not extreme, but fully acclimatizing from 1,000' to 4,300' would have removed the altitude as a variable. I didn't have time to properly acclimatize, and I suspect that that affected the results. (I hope to do another test when I'm home again for the summer.) Today, I'm 48 years, still 69 kg, but I'm sure my body composition has worsened.[4](#fn4) ![A chart comparing two lactate tests by HR and mM/L versus vertical m/hr](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/03/Lactate-Test---220404.webp) A comparison of two lactate tests: My PR test from February 2019 and my current (detrained) test from April 2022. ## Test Results **My anaerobic threshold speed has dropped 23%.** At \~4 mM[5](#fn5) my anaerobic threshold (AnT) pace has fallen from 1,530 meters per hour to 1,180\. My anaerobic threshold heart rate increased 4.3% (from 188 to 196).[6](#fn6) **My aerobic threshold speed has dropped 26%.** At \~2 mM[7](#fn7) my aerobic threshold (AeT) pace has fallen from 1,360 meters per hour to 1,000.[8](#fn8) My aerobic threshold heart rate increased 7.4% (from 176 to 189).[9](#fn9) **At 1,000 meters per hour, my heart rate has increased 37%**, from \~138 to 189\. My maximum heart rate in 2019 was 210, and my recent lactate test suggests—with a \~4 mM HR of 196— that I still have a similar maximum. So assuming that my max HR is still the same, that's an increase from 66% of maximum to 90%... Not good: 1,000 meters per hour has changed from a recovery intensity to aerobic threshold. ## Follow-Up Questions ### With proper training, is my previous peak "restorable"? Probably not. My capacity is probably age-diminished. But more importantly, my motivation for that level of structured training is low. (Been there done that, I want to hang out with my sons, and [buying an engine](https://drivenasa.com/hpde/?ref=scottsemple.com) looks like it'd be more fun than rebuilding one.) ### If it were restorable, would it come back quicker? Probably. Age factors aside, it's faster to restore fitness than it is to create it. So even if my potential peak is permanently lower, I suspect I could reach it faster than the first time around. Also, there are some training strategies that I had planned for 2020 that I never used. I suspect that they would be beneficial if I added them to my program.[10](#fn10) ### But motivation is key. And at the moment, I don't have it. I'd like to do some [grande course events](https://grandecourse.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) in Europe, but my performance expectations have fallen with my skimo priorities. My main motivation to do them is because they'd be fun, a good challenge with good friends, and a great method to slow more age-related decline. ## Conclusion ### Homeostasis is vicious. What you don't use, you lose. When he was 54, I asked [the uber-prolific Steve Swenson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve%5FSwenson?ref=scottsemple.com) how he stayed in such good shape: > *I never stop. If I do, it takes too much effort to get back to where I was.* Now I really understand what he meant. And today, "The Colonel" is 68 and still going strong. ### My fitness has fallen off a cliff... As age-related decline continues, staying active will become more and more important. I want to keep up with my kids as long as possible. And, I'm reassured, with the general dearth of effective training advice in most sports, I should be able to do so for quite some time unless they become serious endurance athletes. ### ...but not as far as I thought. My threshold paces of 1,177 and 1,000 meters per hour are still decent. And I could temporarily notch them up just by being regularly active and throwing in a *tiny* bit of strength and intensity. Or should I just [buy a Porsche](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU0NzJfQLyg&ref=scottsemple.com)? --- 1. Note that all of these climb rates are very context-specific: wearing running shoes on a treadmill at a constant incline. Due to heavier equipment and variable terrain, climb rates outside are not comparable (and would be lower).[↩](#fnref1) 2. "DFL" means "Dead Fucking Last".[↩](#fnref2) 3. CTL is imperfect, but it's like democracy. It isn't an ideal option; it's just the best one we have.[↩](#fnref3) 4. With a steeply declining training volume and being in my late 40s, I'm sure that I've lost muscle mass. If I've lost muscle mass and my weight has been maintained, that means that I've swapped muscle for fat.[↩](#fnref4) 5. Yes, yes, I know, I know. Four millimoles is not necessarily the anaerobic threshold. But it's close enough. Pinpointing AnT in a lab is not worth the time, expense, and short shelf-life of the result. And comparing changes to a fixed lactate value on a treadmill is much more reliable than an effort-driven field test.[↩](#fnref5) 6. Once a decent base is established, changes in pace are always much more significant than changes in heart rate.[↩](#fnref6) 7. Yes, yes, I know, I know. It's the same as AnT: Comparing changes to a fixed lactate value on a treadmill is much more reliable than an effort-driven field test.[↩](#fnref7) 8. During lactate tests, I've always had a "bench" between 2.1 and 2.3 millimoles. I suspect that this is related to being very fast-twitch. (My lactate after sprint workouts was regularly in the 20s, PRing at 23.)[↩](#fnref8) 9. The change in my aerobic threshold heart rates is probably overstated. Most AeT tests that I've ever done pegged my Aet HR in the low-180s. (It was "183" more times than I can count.) I suspect my lower HRs in my February 2019 test are because of being slightly overtrained. (I felt fine at the time, but HRs were lower than usual.)[↩](#fnref9) 10. In particular, my peak anaerobic and aerobic threshold paces at my peak had a gap of 12.5%: 1,530 / 1,360 = 1.125\. With a period of focused "bounce" intervals, I wonder if that could narrowed, if not at the same speed, at least ot a narrow gap, raising aerobic threshold pace to be closer to anaerobic.[↩](#fnref10) ### What can you learn from a post-race postmortem? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/what-can-you-learn-from-a-post-race-postmortem/ Last updated: 2024-05-12T10:54:22.000Z T. asked: > No warm-up for me given that I was in recreation mode... Always, always, always warm up. The aerobic system takes longer to get fully fired up than the anaerobic. And the anaerobic is like a macho know-it-all at a search-and-rescue course: once it has the mic, it's hard to get it to shut up. > ...it might be worth pushing it a bit at the start to avoid the bottlenecks. It's always a trade off. And another reason why a warm up is so important. If your aerobic system is fully online, you'll be able to recover better in between short bursts during the race. > I had to wait for folks at various points, and needed to hop between "lanes" where I could pass folks. Never hesitate to ask to pass. In western Canada, the race briefings usually include a comment like, "Let a racer pass if you hear them say, 'Track.'" In Europe, they often have parallel double-tracks for each ascent. (The way it should be everywhere.) If neither, always bring it up during the race briefing to set the expectation amongst the other racers. > Nutrition is tricky when you’re carrying poles. On bootpacks is it possible to eat while moving? I always (and only) "eat" and drink when I leave a transition. Heart rate is a little lower, so it's easier to swallow. Also, I wrote "eat" because I wouldn't take solid food for races of three hours or less. Over that, it's probably worth having something you can wolf down quickly when exiting each transition. Don't wait until you're hungry. ### When can you get away with not carrying extra food and water? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/when-can-you-get-away-with-not-carrying-extra-food-and-water/ Last updated: 2024-05-12T10:54:35.000Z Nutrition confusion often comes from guides and plans being labeled "...for Event X." But **duration and intensity are the key factors, not distance.** For example, **two different events of the same duration could be fueled for with the same strategy while the same event at different paces should not.** A first-time half-marathon of two hours and a pro-level marathon of two hours could have the same nutrition plan. The body doesn't care about the distance or the speed (the external load). It only cares about the intensity (the internal load) and the duration. The body may think: 1. How long is this going to take at this pace? and 2. Do I have the resources to last? The best thing to do is to **take notes (in training and racing) and learn what you need at different intensities and durations.** As a mountain athlete, also consider the impact of the weight of carrying the fuel. (Most nutrition guides assume that an event will be supported with aid stations, so carrying the fuel isn't a factor.) If an event has no risk of: 1. Worrisome glycogen depletion; or 2. Greater than 2-3% dehydration; and 3. No additional events within a few days; then **... why carry the extra weight?** ### How long can aerobic capacity improve? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-long-can-aerobic-capacity-improve/ Last updated: 2025-06-28T13:03:06.000Z > I've read that aerobic capacity building can go on for 6, 8, or 10 years, even for full-time athletes. Yes! The narrowing in **the AnT / AeT HR gap is really only the beginning. Improvements in pace at those same heart rates can happen for years and years** **with consistent training** (albeit with lower and lower relative improvements.) Canova said something like, "It takes eight years to get your aerobic house in order." > And I recently read how Nils van der Poel spent \~30 hours/week for 3 years in building his aerobic base. Yes, I need to read that. It's high on my list because I think **it may challenge the idea that cycling doesn't help weight-bearing sports.** I do wonder if "(s)low impact" weight-bearing sports (like speed skating and skimo) can get a lot of benefit from cycling because the volume can be so, so, so much higher and the need to train impact resistance is not there. (I suspect not for running and mountaineering because impact is such a big factor.) > But for the amateur athlete with jobs and family, wanting to optimize the rate of aerobic development is a hard problem to solve. Yes, but having kids is way more rewarding anyway. 🙂 ### How does cooling down improve aerobic capacity? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-does-cooling-down-improve-aerobic-capacity/ Last updated: 2025-07-03T19:10:23.000Z > What is the reason for cooling down after a workout? What are the consequences if we never cool down? Does the kind of workout matter? What does the ideal cool down look like? I look at things from a fiber recruitment and lactate production perspective (influenced by reading [Olbrecht](https://www.amazon.com/Science-Winning-Planning-Periodizing-Optimizing-ebook/dp/B009JTJ676?ref=scottsemple.com), [Canova](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renato%5FCanova?ref=scottsemple.com), [Magness](https://www.scienceofrunning.com/?ref=scottsemple.com), and [Verkhoshansky](https://www.verkhoshansky.com/?ref=scottsemple.com).) Others may have a different and equally valid explanation. As I understand it: 1. **Any intensity produces some lactate that the aerobic system has to "clean up."** The clean up happens during the event (unless the aerobic system is overwhelmed.) That clean up process is one of the ways that we increase our aerobic capacity, by "forcing" the aerobic system to deal with the excess lactate. The more lactate that the aerobic system can tolerate, the more of our anaerobic system we can use in an event. Especially if the session has included some intensity, **a cool down is a good chance to challenge the aerobic system and get in some more aerobic capacity training.** 2. Lower lactate levels are easier to recover from both between sessions (in one day) and between days. So while your aerobic system is fired up, **you can use the time to reduce the lactate in your system and accelerate your recovery** from the session. 3. Different types of training send different adaptation signals to the body. If I remember correctly, strength training (or high enough intensity) uses the mTOR pathway (anabolic) and aerobic training uses the AMPk pathway (catabolic.) **So if I'm training for an endurance event, I want the signal to be through the AMPk pathway. My thinking is that a cool down may push the signal in that direction.** In contrast, if I were hangboard training for rock climbing, then I would *not* cool down because the goal is increased strength. > Maybe asked a different way, what are the consequences if we never cool down? I think you lose out on an aerobic capacity stimulus and perhaps send the wrong signal to your working muscles. > Does the kind of workout matter? Answered above, I think? > What does the ideal cool down look like? This is just based on my experience, but I usually finish my workouts at a very easy pace until my heart rate stabilizes. If it's after an intensity session then the satble heart rate may be higher than after an easier session. But either way, heart rate will slowly fall if the cool down is sufficiently easy. When I'm fit, that's usually around 80% of my anaerobic threshold heart rate (ANT HR, LTHR, etc.) If I'm not training much, then it's usually about 5% higher. It's also worth noting that you can probably get similar effects if the easy finish is done in a second workout. So if you only have 45 minutes in the morning and it includes some intensity, you could probably do an easy session in the afternoon to still get some of the cool down benefits. (I believe [Magness](https://www.scienceofrunning.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) has a bunch of [articles on doubling](https://www.scienceofrunning.com/?s=Doubling&submit=Search&v=47e5dceea252&ref=scottsemple.com) that might be relevant.) ### What metabolic information can we get from a flat half-marathon? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/what-metabolic-information-can-we-get-from-a-flat-half-marathon/ Last updated: 2024-05-12T10:55:16.000Z > I've read that a time trial for 10k or 45 min or 1 hr is a general test for one's anaerobic threshold, and a marathon is raced at one's aerobic threshold. Is that true? A quick clarification: A given threshold can't be measured with ~~a specific~~ the same event for all people. Without measuring lactate or respiration, duration needs to be used instead of distance. Non-lab threshold tests are most commonly done with a field test of a given duration. Because the duration of ~~an event~~ a given distance will vary per person, events reveal different things about different people. For example, a pro-level marathon at \~2 hours would likely be run just above aerobic threshold (AeT.) For any athlete whose aerobic threshold is close to their anaerobic threshold (AnT), that AeT pace wouldn't be sustainable for too much longer than 2-ish hours. (But if they don't have a base, the AnT / AeT gap will be wide, and AeT pace may be slow enough to maintain for much longer.) So depending on ability and training, a half-marathon can span a wide range of intensities. For a professional, it may be a good proxy for anaerobic threshold; for an amateur (at around two hours), aerobic threshold. If we assume that a particular runner has a good base (with AnT and AeT thresholds that are \~5% apart,) then: - A pro running a half-marathon in the 1-hour range would be running at anaerobic threshold; - For someone between 1.5 to 2 hours, the intensity would be between AeT and AnT, similar to a skimo race (although skimo is more stochastic); and - Near two hours, the effort would be around AeT (and lower as the duration gets longer.) ### Why Transitions Matter ☝️ URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/why-transitions-matter/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:54:19.000Z At the top and bottom of each leg of a skimo race, racers have to adjust their equipment. The adjustments are called transitions because they allow racers to switch between skinning, skiing, and bootpacking. **Mastering each combination is essential to make transitions almost irrelevant in a race.** If you screw them up, they add unnecessary time to your race. Your race result will haunt you with what could have been if you had practiced. **This is especially true in the sprint format.** A skimo sprint course takes between four and six minutes to complete. In such a short race, a botched transition can be the difference between a decent result and the back of the pack. ## The six skimo transitions Skimo racing has six main transitions with an entrance and exit routine that is similar for each. Once well-practiced, components from each can be mixed and matched according to the terrain. ### [Entering a Transition](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/entering-a-transition-zone/) Regardless of the transition type, approaching a transition zone has a handful of common actions. ### [Skin to Ski: Single Rips](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/skin-to-ski-transition-single-rips/) At the top of each climb, a skimo racer must switch from uphill skinning to downhill skiing and do it in less than 30 seconds to be competitive. Less than 20 seconds is ideal. ### [Skin to Ski: Double Rip](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/skin-to-ski-transition-double-rip/) After the final ascent, instead of two single-skin rips, it's much faster to double-rip both skins and stuff the sticky mess in your suit. ### [Skin to Boot](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/skin-to-boot-transition/) Bootpacks are too steep to skin, so racers must switch from skinning to booting. With practice, a bootpack transition can be done in a few seconds. ### [Ski to Skin](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/ski-to-skin-transition/) At the top of each climb, a skimo racer must switch from downhill skiing to uphill skinning and do it in less than 45 seconds to be competitive. Less than 30 seconds is ideal. ### [Boot to Skin](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/boot-to-skin-transition/) Bootpack sections, especially in the sprint event, often end with more skinning. Boot to Skin should only take a few seconds. ### [Boot to Ski](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/boot-to-ski-transition/) When a bootpack ends at a ridge top or couloir, the transition is to skiing rather than to skinning. ### [Exiting a Transition](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/exiting-a-transition-zone/) Regardless of the transition type, leaving a transition zone has a handful of common actions. ## Efficient transitions are free speed Done well, transitions lengthen a typical skimo race by a negligible amount. **Done poorly, transitions will increase your race time and leave you finishing well behind other racers of similar fitness.** But anyone can have fast transitions. All it takes is [practice](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/how-to-practice-transitions/). ### How to practice 🎹 URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-practice-transitions/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:54:36.000Z Every training session on skis will require at least a handful of transitions. Use the time wisely, pay attention to the details, and refine your skills. ## Accept that you need to practice. **If you haven't practiced *a lot*, then your transitions are slow.** If they're slow, you'll waste time. If you waste time, you may lose to someone who is less fit but more organized. If you spend hundreds of hours training, you may gain minutes on your competitors. But those minutes are perishable. If your training volume drops for an extended period of time, the minutes you've gained will disappear. But that's less the case with technical skills. **If you can refine your technical skills to a very high level, they'll be with you a lot longer** and can be maintained with very little additional practice. (Resort skiing is popular for a reason: it's a technical skill that doesn't fade much. Real fitness isn't required.) **Or you can wait until you lose to someone you know you shouldn't.** That'll drive the point home more clearly than this section ever can... ## Practice slowly. **The key to fast transitions is slow practice.** You need to practice slow enough that you can notice your inefficiencies and remove them. If you practice too fast, you'll fluster past your mistakes and cement them into a bad habit. Slow down to the point of feeling absurd. Notice how each limb is moving, not just the one you're foucsed on. Is anything unnecessary? Or repetitive? Can you combine multiple movements into one? Let speed come naturally as you become more efficient. Don't force it. **Rushing in practice will just make you sloppy.** The first few hundred reps may take minutes each time, but with enough practice, a fast time will become casual. (And you'll wonder what takes your ski touring friends so long.) ## Practice often. Refining a technical skill takes time. If you make a habit of slow practice with every training session—and dedicated practice sessions on recovery days—your transition times will continue to decrease. As your transitions get faster, you'll gain more time on your competitors. As you close the gap, you'll be able to race purely on fitness rather than "luck" getting your skins on faster. There are few treats as sweet as entering a transition after someone and leaving it before they do. ## Make them your own. Eventually. The following methods are effective but not universal. Different body mechanics and levels of flexibility may require some adjustments. *Once they are second nature*, make them your own ... but only after you can do them without thinking. Don't make the beginner mistake of judging a process by how it feels the first hundred times. ### Entering a transition zone 🛬 URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/entering-a-transition-zone/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:54:48.000Z By the time you stop in a transition zone, you should be ready to act. Do not wait until you enter the transition zone to get organized. The more you can do beforehand, the faster the transition will be. ## Put both poles in one hand, and offset the pole grips. 1. Extend your arms ahead of you so the poles are vertical and the grips are offset; 2. With one hand, grab both poles below the opposite grip. 3. Remove the opposite hand from its wrist loop, and grab both poles below the first hand. 4. Remove the first hand from its wrist loop. Offsetting the pole grips will make for less fussing around when you try to get your hands back in your wrist loops when exiting the transition. ## Move to the front-most open spot within the transition. Transition zones can be busy. Get as close to the exit of the transition as possible. Do not be Canadian about this and worry about offending someone. (It's a race, not a campfire sing-along.) Being near the front of the transition zone reduces the chance of any interference when you're ready to leave. And it makes it less likely that your poles will get kicked by an incoming racer as they pass by. ## Get ready to unzip your suit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-36s1-both-poles-one-hand-2.webp) With your first hand, grab the zipper on your suit, and bite the collar. You need to bite your collar to resist the zipper movement. At this point, your poles are still in your second hand. ## Unzip your suit as you place your poles on the ground. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-047s-unzip-as-poles-down.webp) Unzip your suit as you put your poles on the ground. As you bend over, unzip your suit and place your poles on the ground parallel to your skis. Some racers prefer to place their poles between their legs to minimize the risk of their poles being kicked. This may be an issue in Europe—where races are more popular—but North American races are so sparsely attended that I've never found it necessary. 💡 ****Exception:** Skin to Boot and Boot to Skin don't require you to unzip your suit. In the former, your skins stay on your skis. In the latter, they're already in place. ### Skin to Ski: Single Rips❗ URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/skin-to-ski-transition-single-rips/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:55:09.000Z The following method is one of many. Different body mechanics and levels of flexibility may require some adjustments. Practice it until it's second nature, and (only then) make it your own. ⬇️ Take it with you? [Download a step-by-step guide](https://www.scottsemple.com/downloads/). ## Do the entrance routine Entering a transition zone is the same for all types. Review [the entrance process](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/entering-a-transition-zone/) as part of practicing each transition type. ## Deal with your boots and bindings ### Lock both boots into downhill mode. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-42s-lock-both-boots.webp) After placing your poles on the ground, move your hands straight to your boot levers. Lock them into downhill mode. **Do not stand up.** ### Open the left heel piece while using the right arm for balance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-47s-unlock-left-heel-piece.webp) When your boots lock, your hands will be close to your bindings. Take advantage of their proximity. Reach back to open the heel piece of the left-hand binding. At the same time, extend your right arm for balance. But don't try to open both bindings at once. That makes you crouch on two tip-toes which is unstable. Falling over wastes time. ### Open the right heel piece while grabbing the left skin tip. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-54s-grab-left-skin-tip.webp) Pull the left ski back toward you to grab the skin tip. As you grab the skin tip, unlock the heel piece of the right-hand binding. ## Rip the first skin ### Stand up on your right toe while ripping the left skin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-74s-rip-left-skin.webp) As you stand up on your right leg, slide the left ski forward as your left arm pulls backward. Sliding the ski forward will help remove the whole skin without the tail sticking and getting caught under the ski. ### Stomp your heel into the open binding. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-75s-stomp-left-binding.webp) As the skin comes free and the left ski goes forward, stomp your foot into the binding. ### Keep your right heel out of the binding. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-88s-stay-on-right-toe.webp) Stay on your right toe on the right-hand binding so it doesn't lock prematurely. If it does, it'll make ripping the right skin more awkward. Keep your heel raised until you rip the right-hand skin. ## Fold the first skin ### Slide your right hand along the skin to find the tail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-97s-find-the-tail.webp) While holding the skin tip with your left hand, slide your right hand along the back of the skin until you can grab the tail. Extend your index finger along the back of the skin as you guide the tail toward the tip. ### Paste the tail of the skin to the tip. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-102s-paste-halves-together.webp) Press the tip and tail together, but make sure the tail overhangs the tip by a couple of inches. The overhanging tail has two purposes: - It's easier to grab the exposed tail and separate the glue at the next transition; and - The overhanging tail can thaw next to your torso. ### Fold the skin once. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-121s-fold-once.webp) Fold the skin neatly. Keep your skins organized to save time when you need to reuse them. Do not ball them up. Untangling skins costs more time than folding them. ### Let the skin fold a second time as it goes into your suit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-124s-fold-into-suit.webp) With the skin folded once and grasped in the middle, it will fold a second time as it enters the skin pocket. Position the skin so that the overhanging tail is against your torso. With the glue against your torso, your body heat will melt any snow or ice on the tail, and your base layer will absorb the moisture. With the next application, there's a much better chance of good adhesion. Do not put skins in your pack. Taking your pack off is a total waste of time, and your skins won't thaw. Wasted time and icy skins ruin races. ### Stuff the first skin deep into the skin pocket, leaving room for the second skin. A neatly double-folded skin will leave enough room for a second. That way, you can alternate pairs of skins and skin pockets from right to left with each transition. ## Rip the second skin Ripping the second skin is the same process as the first. Here's a condensed version of the sequence. ### Pull the right ski back as you reach down to grab the right skin tip. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-140s-grab-right-skin.webp) As with the left ski, pull the ski back and squat straight down to grab the skin rather than reaching forward. Squatting straight down is faster, easier, and more balanced. ### As you rip the right skin, slide the ski forward and stomp into the binding. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-146s-rip-right-skin.webp) ## Fold the second skin ### Paste the tail of the skin to the tip, overhanging it by a couple of inches. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-155s-paste-halves-together.webp) ### Fold the skin once. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-121s-fold-once-1.webp) ### Let the skin fold a second time as it goes into your suit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-157s-fold-into-suit.webp) Because you stuffed the first skin deep into the skin pocket, there should be ample room for the second skin beside the first. ## Do the exit routine Exiting a transition zone is the same for all types. Review the exit process as part of practicing each transition. --- #### 🤔 ****What about the toe piece?** When skinning, the toe pieces on your bindings should be locked. On a typical tech binding, this means that the lever in front of your toe is pulled up one or two clicks. When skiing, the toe piece should be unlocked (lever down) so that the bindings will release in a crash. If the toe is locked, the binding won't release. ****But most skimo racers leave their toes locked throughout a race... Why?** Again, it comes back to time. Unlocking and relocking your toes with each transition slows you down. And (in theory at least) race skis are so short and flexible, there's likely to be less leverage at work tearing your knee apart. ****So you decide: It's time or tendons.** --- ## Watch the video A skin-to-ski transition can be done in less than 20 seconds with enough practice with the right gear. Think of 40 seconds as a maximum. ⬇️ Take it with you? [Download a step-by-step guide](https://www.scottsemple.com/downloads/). ### Skin to Ski: Double Rip ‼️ URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/skin-to-ski-transition-double-rip/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:55:23.000Z The following method is one of many. Different body mechanics and levels of flexibility may require some adjustments. Practice it a lot, and then make it your own. 💡 Many racers rip both skins at exactly the same time and do a little hop. But it's awkward and has a lower success rate. Alternating rips makes it easier to maintain balance, and it's just as fast, sometimes faster. Don't believe me? Check out Yannick Eccour as he enters [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsB8d5CDMgM&ref=scottsemple.com) at the 22-second mark. Poles-to-poles, he does alternating rips in 8.5 seconds, while the best double-hopper is 10.5 seconds. Learn how to alternate rips below. ## Do the entrance routine Entering a transition zone is the same for all types. Review [the entrance process](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/entering-a-transition-zone/) as part of practicing each transition type. --- 💡 Note that the first ten steps of the double-rip are the same as the single-rip sequence. [Click here](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/skin-to-ski-transition-double-rip/#:~:text=Keep,-your%20right%20heel) to jump to where the double-rip varies. --- ## Deal with your boots and bindings ### Lock both boots into downhill mode. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-15s-lock-both-boots.webp) After placing your poles on the ground, move your hands straight to your boot levers. Lock them into downhill mode. **Do not stand up.** ### Open the left heel piece while using the right arm for balance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-16s-open-left-binding.webp) When your boots lock, your hands will be close to your bindings. Take advantage of their proximity. Reach back to open the heel piece of the left-hand binding. At the same time, extend your right arm for balance. But don't try to open both bindings at once. That makes you crouch on two tip-toes which is unstable. Falling over wastes time. ### Open the right heel piece while grabbing the left skin tip. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-17s-grab-left-skin-open-right-binding.webp) Pull the left ski back toward you to grab the skin tip. As you grab the skin tip, unlock the heel piece of the right-hand binding. ## Rip the first skin ### Stand up on your right toe while ripping the left skin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-18s1-rip-left-binding-stand-on-right-toe.webp) As you stand up on your right leg, slide the left ski forward as your left arm pulls backward. Sliding the ski forward will help remove the whole skin without the tail sticking and getting caught under the ski. ### Stomp your heel into the open binding. As the skin comes free and the left ski goes forward, stomp your foot into the binding. ‼️ Unlike a single-rip transition, ****do not stand up** and ****do not fold the first skin**. Stay low and... ### Keep your right heel out of the binding, but do not stand up. As you rip the left skin, stay bent over and balanced on your right toe. ## Rip the second skin ### Immediately grab and rip the right skin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-18s2-rip-left-skin-grab-right-skin.webp) With the left skin still trailing behind you, immediately rip the right skin and stomp into the binding. ## "Bunch-fold" both skins ### Stand up and bring both skins together. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-19s-bring-skins-together.webp) As you stand, bring the skin tips together and raise them above your head. ### Grab the middle of both skins with one hand. Let them fall into a fold. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-20s-grab-middle.webp) Hold both skins high with one hand, and grab the middle of both with the other. Let go with the high hand and let your skins fall into a fold. ### Grab the middle of both skins with the other hand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-21s-grab-middle-again.webp) With the folded skins hanging in front of you, grab the middle again with your free hand. ### Stuff both skins in your suit. Don't worry about the mess. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-double-rip-23s-stuff-skins-into-suit.webp) With both skins in one hand, pull open your suit with the other hand. Stuff both skins deep into your suit pocket so that they clear the zipper. You won't need to use your skins again, so you won't have to untangle the sticky mess until after the race. ## Do the exit routine Exiting a transition zone is the same for all types. Review the exit process as part of practicing each transition. --- ## Watch the video A double rip in less than 10 seconds is possible with enough practice with the right gear. Think of 20 seconds as a maximum. ### Skin to Boot 🥾 URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/skin-to-boot-transition/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:55:36.000Z The following method is one of many. Different body mechanics and levels of flexibility may require some adjustments. Practice it a lot, and then make it your own. ## Do the entrance routine Entering a transition zone is the same for all types. Review [the entrance process](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/entering-a-transition-zone/) as part of practicing each transition type. ❗ ****Exception:** In the Skin to Boot transition your skins stay on your skis, so there's no need to unzip your suit. ## Get out of your bindings ### Put your poles on the ground. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-05s1-drop-poles.webp) Start bending over when you're close to stopping. Let your poles fall to the ground when your hands are at about shin height. ### Open both toe pieces at the same time and fall to one knee. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-05s2-unlock-both-toe-pieces.webp) Use both hands to press down on both toe pieces almost simultaneously. (You'll need to switch your weight from foot to foot to get out of your bindings, but the switch should be very close together.) Fall to one knee with your skis between your legs. (Doing the skin-to-boot transition on one knee eliminates the extra up-and-down movements of trying to do it standing.) ## Holster your skis ### Mate the skis base-to-base. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-07s1-match-skis-together.webp) Grab your skis and turn them so that they are base-to-base. Use the ground to align them. Offset your skis so that the right-hand ski base is exposed. Offsetting the bases will make it easier to eyeball the tails into the ski holster on your pack. Without the offset, it's not uncommon to miss the holster with one ski. ### Lift your skis with both hands. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-07s2-lift-both-skis.webp) Lift your skis with your left hand above the toe piece and your right hand between the toe and heel pieces. Squeeze them together to make sure that the skis are parallel. ### Grab your ski holster with your left hand and eyeball the tails into it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-08s-grab-holster.webp) Reach back and grab the holster with your left hand while squeezing your skis together with your right. Eyeball the offset tail into the holster to ensure that both tails go through. ### Holster your skis with your right hand, and grab the tips with your left. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-09s-holster-skis-grab-tips.webp) As your right hand guides your skis into the holster, underhand grab the tips with your left. When grabbing the tips, your palm should be up and your thumb pointing toward you. (If you grab the tips with your hand on top, you won't be able to get them into position.) ## Hook your skis ### Eyeball the ski hook as you move your skis behind your head. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-10s-grab-hook.webp) As you pass the skis across your back, eyeball the ski hook. The ski hook can move around during a race, so it's best to know where it is before reaching for it. ### Hook your skis. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-11s-hook-skis.webp) Place the hook onto both skis behind your neck. Take a moment to feel that both skis are in the hook. (If you miss a ski with the hook, it'll fall to the ground as you stand up.) ### Grab your poles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-boot-12s-grab-poles.webp) With your skis hooked, reach for your poles. ## Do the exit routine Exiting a transition zone is the same for all types. Review the exit process as part of practicing each transition. --- ## Watch the video A skin-to-boot transition can be done in less than 10 seconds with enough practice with the right gear. Think of 20 seconds as a maximum. ### Ski to Skin 🦿 URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/ski-to-skin-transition/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:55:52.000Z The following method is one of many. Different body mechanics and levels of flexibility may require some adjustments. Practice it a lot, and then make it your own. ## Do the entrance routine. Entering a transition zone is the same for all types. Review [the entrance process](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/entering-a-transition-zone/) as part of practicing each transition type. ## Pick up the first ski. ### Unlock both boots simultaneously. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-052s-unlock-both-boots.webp) After placing your poles on the ground, move your hands straight to your boot levers. Unlock them into uphill mode. ### Use your left hand to open your right toe piece. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-056s-open-right-toe.webp) Using the heel of your left palm, press down on the right-hand toe lever to release it. By using your palm, your fingers will be open and ready to grab the ski. It will also set you up well for the moves ahead. ### As you lift the ski with your left hand, close the heel piece with your right. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-060s-lift-right-and-close.webp) After opening the toe piece with your left hand, immediately grab the ski and lift it off the ground. As the ski comes off the ground, close the heel piece with your right hand. ### As you stand, wipe the bottom of the ski with your right hand as you rise. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-063s-wipe-right-ski.webp) At this point, your right hand will be in a good position to wipe the bottom of the ski. Take the opportunity to clear the base of the ski of any snow. This'll keep the base clean and improve skin adhesion. Once the ski is wiped, let the ski fall into the crook of your left arm. ## Apply the first skin. ### Open your suit, grab the first skin by the bungee, and use the other hand to grab the skin's tail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-079s-grab-first-skin.webp) To guide the skin into the tip notch of the ski, you'll want one hand on the bungee and the other grabbing the tail. Depending on which side of your suit your skins are on, you may have to pass the bungee to the other hand to get into the best position. You'll want the bungee hand to be on the same side as the ski. ### Guide the bungee into the notch in the ski tip, and open the skin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-091s-guide-skin-to-notch.webp) With the bungee in the tip of the ski, pinch the tip of the skin with your thumb. Do not pull on the skin without pinching it. Doing so can easily over-tension the bungee, making the next rip very awkward, slow, or even impossible with one hand. With the skin tip pinched to the ski, open the skin with a strong pull down the length of the ski. If it's difficult to open the skin with one hand, the skin has too much glue on it. Reglue your skins before the next race. ### Slide your left thumb down the length of the skin to paste it against the ski while the right hand pastes the tail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-095s-paste-skin-to-ski.webp) With the skin open, you can line it up and paste it to the ski. Try to center the skin on the base. If too much skin glue is exposed beyond the edge of the ski, it'll collect snow and reduce adhesion during the next transition. As you bend over for the next ski, slide your left thumb along the skin and paste the tail with your right hand. ## Put on the first ski, pick up the second ### Put the ski on the ground. Glance at the heel piece to make sure that it's closed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-103s-check-heel-piece.webp) It's important to double-check that the heel piece is closed. Sometimes the closure can be missed when picking up the ski. If you step into the ski with an open heel piece, your heel will lock into the binding, you won't be able to skin forward, and you'll lose time by re-opening and re-entering the binding. To avoid that, glance at the heel piece as the ski touches the ground. Close the heel piece if necessary. ### Step into the right ski, and lock the right toe piece while opening the left. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-107s-lock-right-toe-open-left.webp) As soon as your right foot clicks into the toe piece, lock the toe lever with your right hand while simultaneously opening the left toe piece with your left hand. ### Lift the ski as you close the heel piece with your right hand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-111s-lift-left-and-close.webp) ### Wipe the ski as you stand up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-121s-wipe-left-ski.webp) ## Apply the second skin. ### Grab the second skin by the bungee and the tail of the skin with the opposite hand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-130s-grab-second-skin.webp) ### Guide the bungee into the tip notch, pinch the skin to the ski, and open the skin with a strong pull. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-135s-guide-skin-to-notch.webp) ### Slide your left thumb down the length of the skin to paste it against the ski while the right hand pastes the tail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-138s-paste-skin-to-ski.webp) ## Put on the second ski. ### Grab your poles as you place the left ski on the ground. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-140s-grab-poles.webp) As you step into the left-hand toe piece, put your left hand on your poles so you're ready to pick them up. ### Glance at both heel pieces to make sure they're closed. Close the heel piece if necessary. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-147s-check-heel-piece.webp) ### Step into the toe piece and lock it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/ski-to-skin-151s-lock-left-toe.webp) ## Do the exit routine. Exiting a transition zone is the same for all types. Review the exit process as part of practicing each transition. --- ## Watch the video. A ski-to-skin transition can be done in less than 30 seconds with enough practice with the right gear. Think of 60 seconds as a maximum. ### Boot to Skin 🦿 URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/boot-to-skin-transition/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:56:08.000Z The following method is one of many. Different body mechanics and levels of flexibility may require some adjustments. Practice it a lot, and then make it your own. ## Do the entrance routine. Entering a transition zone is the same for all types. Review [the entrance process](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/entering-a-transition-zone/) as part of practicing each transition type. ❗ ****Exception:** The Boot to Skin transition doesn't require you to unzip your suit. Your skins always stay on your skis when booting. ‼️ ****Exception:** If you're accustomed to approaching with your poles in your left hand, the boot-to-skin transition should be the exception. ****Approach the transition with your poles in your right hand.** Ski hooks are located on the right-hand side of packs, so putting your poles down with your right hand will set you up better to unhook your skis with your left. ## Pop the hook. ### Reach for the ski hook with your left hand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/boot-to-skin-05s2-reach-for-hook.webp) The tip of the ski hook will point to your left. Because of that, it's easier to pop the hook with your left hand than it is with your right. Also, because the ski holster is on the left-hand side of most packs, you can grab your skis with your left hand and remove them in one motion. ### Pop the hook, grab your skis, and "unroll" your left arm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/boot-to-skin-08s1-unroll-left-arm.webp) With the ski hook popped, let your left arm "unroll" in front of you. It'll feel awkward for your wrist at first. The end position is the same one you started in when you holstered your skis. Your palm will be up, and your thumb will be pointing outward. ## Unholster your skis. ### Unholster the skis with your right hand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/boot-to-skin-08s2-unholster-skis.webp) As your skis come around your body, grab them at the waist with your right hand, and pull them out of the holster. ### As you bend over, put your skis between your legs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/boot-to-skin-09s-skis-between-legs.webp) Having your skis between your legs will make it easier to step into your bindings. Put one ski in each hand as you set them down. ## Get into your bindings. ### Put your right hand on your poles as you step into the right-hand ski. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/boot-to-skin-10s-grab-poles.webp) ### Lock the right-hand toe piece as you step into the left. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/boot-to-skin-12s-lock-right-toe.webp) ### Lock the left-hand toe piece and start skinning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/boot-to-skin-14s-lock-left-toe.webp) --- ## What if it's a Boot-to-Ski? What if the bootpack ends at a ridge top or couloir? ### Use the same process to start the transition. Leave your skins on. Keeping your skins on through a bootpack section makes your skis easier to manage at the next transition when putting them on the ground. With skins on, your skis are less likely to slide away from you and possibly ruin your race if they head downhill without you. And you don't lose any time by moving the rips to the top of the bootpack instead of the bottom. ### Rip your skins after you step into your toe pieces. At the end of the bootpack, get into your bindings as if you were going to start skinning. But don't stand up. As soon as you lock the left-hand toe piece, immediately rip your skins: 1. If it is not the final descent, use [a single-rips transition](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/skin-to-ski-transition-single-rips/); but 2. If it is the final descent, use [a double-rip transition](https://www.scottsemple.com/technique/skin-to-ski-transition-double-rip/). --- ## Watch the video. A boot-to-skin transition in less than 10 seconds is possible with enough practice with the right gear. Think of 20 seconds as a maximum. ### Boot to Ski ⛷️ URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/boot-to-ski-transition/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:56:19.000Z _No content available._ ### Exiting a transition zone 🛫 URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/exiting-a-transition-zone/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T18:56:34.000Z ## The exit routine ### Grab your poles (if you haven't already.) In the skin-to-ski transitions, grab your poles after stuffing your last skin. In the ski-to-skin transition, you can pick your poles up as you stand up from dealing with your last binding. ### Zip up your suit as you exit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-168s-zip-up-grab-poles.webp) Whether skinning or skiing, zip up your suit as you leave the transition. ### Get your poles into position while you're on the move. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2026/02/skin-to-ski-175s-exit-transition-1.webp) Start working on your pole straps after you've left the transition. It's tempting to avoid using pole straps and just start skiing or skinning. But if you drop a pole while skiing, the time cost will be greater than the time it takes to put your wrist loops on. And if skinning, you won't be able to use your poles as effectively with hand strength alone. I've always opted to use pole straps rather than not. I'd rather spend a little time getting into my wrist loops than waste time backtracking to get a dropped pole or relying on grip strength to push forward. ### Drink from your bottle. If the race is long enough that you'll need calories and water, exiting a transition is the time to get some. During the transition, your heart rate and respiration rate will ease slightly. That makes it easier to drink than when you're working hard, going uphill or down. Take advantage of it and take a big gulp as you exit the transition. (If you estimate your race time in the two-hour range, and if you have a strong aerobic base, it probably won't be necessary to eat any solid food. You should be able to get enough calories with just your hydration system. However, if your race will be longer, or if you've done too much high intensity in training, you may need to eat solid food when races get longer than two hours.) ### Start skiing/skinning to the next transition. --- ⚠️ ****If skiing, beware of recreational skiers.** Most races will have right-of-way rules with respect to non-racer traffic on-piste. In Canada, race organizers usually go by the [Alpine Responsibility Code](https://skisafety.ca/alpine-responsibility-code/?ref=scottsemple.com). You have to respect these rules and the safety of others without giving up unnecessary time on the descent. To do so, it may be faster to choose wider, less-direct ski lines that avoid other skiers than it would be to choose the most direct line at a slower speed, especially if there's a risk of braking unexpectedly. ❗ ****If skinning, settle into a strong, steady pace.** Similar to the start line, don't let the short recovery of the bottom transition fool you into thinking you can maintain a faster pace. Skin uphill at ****the fastest pace you can** ***maintain** **to the top**, not the fastest pace that you can maintain for a few seconds. ### Do we have an effort bias? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/do-we-have-an-effort-bias/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:14:21.000Z In January, I started using [Anki](https://apps.ankiweb.net/?ref=scottsemple.com), spaced repetition software, to study for an exam. My first impression was negative. "This is too easy," I thought. "This can't be helpful." But as I read more about [spaced repetition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced%5Frepetition?ref=scottsemple.com), my initial reaction reminded me of how people get sucked into HIIT training. [HIIT is sorta-but-not-really hard](https://www.scottsemple.com/learn-the-language/) and very gratifying in the short-term. So it's popular, even though it won't maximize genetic potential in the long-term. Could "high-intensity learning" be equally ineffective? Thankfully I found an article that explains why less really is more for the brain. (And from what I've seen, for the body too.) ## What is "spacing" versus "massing?" "Spacing" is studying less material more often over a longer time frame. "Massing" is studying more material less frequently in a shorter time frame. The article, [*Spaced Repetition for Efficient Learning*](https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition?ref=scottsemple.com), explains why **spacing is more potent than massing.** The former results in genuine learning and long-term retention; the latter, ineffective cramming. **But there's a funny quality to massing.** ### What It Says Research shows that spaced rep­e­ti­tion is much more effective than massing. But it remains unpopular because "the payoff is dis­tant & coun­ter­in­tu­itive \[while\] the cost of self­-con­trol \[is\] near & vivid." [\*](https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition?ref=scottsemple.com#hamming-1986:~:text=This%20long%20term%20fo%C2%ADcus%20may%20ex%C2%ADplain,cost%20of%20self%C2%AD%2Dcon%C2%ADtrol%20near%20%26%20vivid.) > Across ex­per­i­ments, **spac­ing was more effec­tive than mass­ing for 90% of the par­tic­i­pants, yet** after the first study ses­sion, **72% of the par­tic­i­pants be­lieved that mass­ing had been more effec­tive** than spac­ing. [\*](https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition?ref=scottsemple.com#deslauriers-et-al-2019-6:~:text=Across%20ex%C2%ADper%C2%ADi%C2%ADments%2C%20spac%C2%ADing%20was%20more%20effec%C2%ADtive,had%20been%20more%20effec%C2%ADtive%20than%20spac%C2%ADing) Spacing creates a strong-but-inaccurate *feel­ing of in­effi­ciency*. That feeling "may be one of the rea­sons that spac­ing is not the more pop­u­lar strat­e­gy." [\*](https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition?ref=scottsemple.com#fn18:~:text=this%20feel%C2%ADing%20of%20in%C2%ADeffi%C2%ADciency%20may%20be,is%20not%20the%20more%20pop%C2%ADu%C2%ADlar%20strat%C2%ADe%C2%ADgy.) In contrast, with massing there was ev­i­dence of *la­bor­ing in vain*. Ex­ceed­ing ap­prox­i­mately \[two hours of practice\] led to no in­creases in learn­ing: We sim­ply get burnt out. [\*](https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition?ref=scottsemple.com#fn18:~:text=there%20was%20ev%C2%ADi%C2%ADdence%20of%20such%20a,works%3A%20We%20sim%C2%ADply%20get%20burnt%20out.) The lit­er­a­ture on over­learn­ing shows that massing seems ben­e­fi­cial (and even feels good) in the short­-term, but the ben­e­fits dis­ap­pear. [\*](https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition?ref=scottsemple.com#fn18:~:text=These%20data%20are%20also%20anal%C2%ADo%C2%ADgous%20to,short%C2%AD%2Dterm%2C%20the%20ben%C2%ADe%C2%ADfits%20dis%C2%ADap%C2%ADpear%20soon%20after%C2%ADwards) Spac­ing leads to the best learn­ing, but it's the least liked. [\*](https://www.gwern.net/Spaced-repetition?ref=scottsemple.com#fn18:~:text=Re%C2%ADsults%20showed%20that%20while%20spac%C2%ADing%20led%20to%20the%20best%20learn%C2%ADing%2C%20it%20was%20the%20least%20liked.) To me, "over-learning" sounds a lot like trying too hard. From what I've seen many times, it's a common error in training, and in my own life, in over-scheduling my day. It feels good at the time but never yields the desired result. ### What It Means #### 1\. Strong like bull, smart like tractor Based on what spaced repetition research suggests, and reinforced by my experience as an athlete and coach, **I think we have an effort bias.** For example, I worked with a client and increased her aerobic threshold speed by 18%. (That's a shit-ton. A professional would be excited about 2-3%.) But she kept complaining that she didn't feel tired; she could train more. Despite a lot of explaining, she refused to accept that more training wouldn't lead to more fitness. (The discussion became pointless, so I suggested she find another coach.) **I've never met an athlete**—including myself in the early days—**that hasn't been sucked into** [**the mistaken temptation**](https://www.scottsemple.com/does-more-fatigue-mean-more-fitness/) **of more-training-means-more-fitness.** The gratification that comes with profound fatigue is hard to resist. It *feels so good* to go to the limit and finish utterly spent. (PRO TIP: Save it for real races. [Strava](http://strava.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) doesn't count.) **But it's short-sighted.** Realizing your genetic maximum in fitness is like getting rich. (And, as spaced repetition research suggests, getting smart too.) **Slow and consistent progress is better than frantic fits and starts.** #### 2\. So how be strong like bull, smart like scientist? If feelings are more tempting than evidence, how do we avoid overvaluing the former? **How do we guard against *a gratification error*?** ##### a. Don't equate effort with progress. If the effort doesn't correlate with progress, stop using it as a proxy. Dumb down that skin track to [what's more efficient](https://skimo.co/skinning-slope-angle?ref=scottsemple.com) and let the bro-brahs sweat and gasp at the back of the pack. ##### b. Measure dose and response separately. Find the dose that leads to the most significant response, not the most gratification. Like medication or supplements, [the right dose is never the maximum](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-much-of-your-training-is-bioavailable/). And be aware that you might be measuring the wrong thing(s). > "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool." > > ― Richard Feynman via [Farnam Street](https://fs.blog/intellectual-giants/richard-feynman/?ref=scottsemple.com) ##### c. If a pursuit is positive, think long-term and use spacing. When an effort or experience is beneficial, be consistent and gradual. Slow down and smell the roses. Appreciate how sunlight changes in the late afternoon. In investing, use dollar-cost averaging or [an anti-momentum approach](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/012116/warren-buffett-be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy.asp?ref=scottsemple.com#:~:text=Warren%20Buffett%20once%20said%20that,over%2C%20and%20one%20should%20be). In training, do at least a short easy session every day. Or lift heavy, but with very few reps. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2021/03/giphy-wax-on-wax-off.gif) Wax on, wax off, Daniel-son. ##### d. If an experience is harmful or unpleasant, get it done fast with massing. [We're better at handling acute stress](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/whats-the-difference-between-acute-stress-and-chronic%5Fb%5F58dcf585e4b0fa4c09598655?ref=scottsemple.com) than we are at tolerating chronic stress. Acute stress can result in strength; chronic stress will break something. To lessen the long-term impact of a negative experience, rip the Band-Aid off ([but only if it's your Band-Aid](https://danariely.com/2015/07/30/a-modified-introduction-to-irrationally-yours/?ref=scottsemple.com#post-5030:~:text=.%20I%20learned%20that%20there%20are,parts%2C%20then%20move%20toward%20the%20least.).) ##### e. If you're short on time, use massing. And accept that you have, not a spacing problem, but a planning or patience problem. (Yes, I'm pointing at you, HIITsters.) ##### f. If presented with only massing options, choose the one with the greatest pay off. You can ski [the Wapta Traverse](https://fatmap.com/guidebooks/186/wapta-traverse:-5-day-guided-ski-touring?ref=scottsemple.com) over five days with a heavy pack. Or you can pack far less, do it in one long day, and have a nap in the afternoon. I recommend [the latter approach](https://skimo.co/quick-ski-missions?ref=scottsemple.com). ### How I Estimate Goal Times URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-i-estimate-goal-times/ Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:31:36.000Z If you run all out for 10 kilometers in 30 minutes, does that mean that you can run all out for 20 kilometers in 60 minutes? No. But many people like to think so. As the distance increases, the maximum sustainable speed will decrease. If the speed decreases, then the time-to-distance ratio will increase. As the ratio increases, so does the proportionate time. So if 10 kilometers takes 30 minutes, then 20 kilometers may take...70 minutes? "Trees don't grow to the sky" as they say. Despite that fact, many are tempted to think that they can wish themselves to a smashing performance the first time they try. I prefer to reason myself into a respectable performance. The tricky part is that mountain sports are too variable to allow for performance calculators that are common in other sports. However, there is a way to fudge an estimate. ## How to estimate a goal time **First, look at the time, distance, and elevation gain from a previous objective that was successfully completed.** Imagine a skimo race of 15 kilometers and 1,500m in elevation gain. If you finished that in 2.5 hours, then you have a concrete "base case" to use to estimate future events. **Second, estimate your way to a goal time.** Figure out a fudgy formula to describe your previous performance. This will become your "personal rule of thumb" for similar events. To do so, *randomly* select divisors for the distance and gain until the total time equals your finishing time. Take the distance and divide it by X. Take the gain and divide it by Y. Add the two together. Success? Great. No? Try again. (There's no secret to this. You need to find your own rule of thumb. Just plug in some numbers and see what happens.) For example, in the 2.5-hour skimo race: - Let's try divisors of 10 kph and 1,000 m/h: (15 km / 10 kph) + (1,500 m / 1,000 m/h) = 1.5h + 1.5h = 3h. The formula doesn't reflect the finishing time; the duration is too long. So try again using bigger divisors. - (15 km / 12 kph) + (1,500 m / 1,200 m/h) = 1.25h + 1.25h = 2.5h. Voila! Note that there is always more than one "right" answer. In the above example, 15 kph and 1,000 m/h would work just as well. Or 10 kph and 1,500 m/h, etc. **Third, apply the fudgy formula to your next goal event.** What if your next event is The Grand Traverse (with 64 km with 2,100 meters of gain)? Well, your handy formula suggests: - (64 km / 12 kph) + (2,100 m / 1,200 m/h) = 5.3h + 1.8h = 7.1h **Fourth, remember: trees don't grow to the sky.** As the distance increases, the sustainable speed of an all-out effort must decrease. So not only does the absolute duration increase, but the proportionate duration does too. For example, if the distance doubles, the duration will *more than double*. Again, it's a guess, but in the above example, a goal time between 7-8 hours seems realistic. (The Grand Traverse is a relatively flat course, so for anyone but the front runners that might have to break trail, a good skin strategy and a glidey nordic stride could be a big help.) Now you have an estimate of your performance. **Fifth, as your fitness improves between events, you'll need to adjust your divisors.** As this method suggests, estimating goal times in mountain sports is tricky. There are too many variables for any method to be 100% repeatable. Constructing something like [the Daniels' VDOT calculator](https://runsmartproject.com/calculator/?ref=scottsemple.com) is impossible. That also makes it difficult to compare performances across events. But once you start outperforming your personal rules of thumb and have to adjust them, you'll know that you're improving. ## But do personal rules of thumb really work? You won't win a Nobel prize in statistics, but yes, personal rules of thumb work well *enough*. In a recreational context, mountain guides often use similar rules of thumb when estimating the duration of an objective with a new client. In that context, 5 kph and 300 m/hr is a common formula. So the first skimo race described above would take eight hours at "client pace." ## Or try the Smart-Like-Tractor approach Of course, what is much, much more common is to go as hard as possible out of the gates and gradually get slower and slower and slower over the course of the event. It makes for shitty race times but it provides a lot of emotional support via misplaced gratification. With a sudden, naive burst in speed, the tractor's muscles are flooded with lactate. The aerobic system (which was probably not warmed up properly) is immediately overwhelmed. That makes for a slower average pace for the rest of the event. That "strategy" always results in the same thing: a good story for your buddies to laugh at. And a sub-optimal performance. But ignorance is bliss, as they say. Especially for tractors. ### How much of your training is bioavailable? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-much-of-your-training-is-bioavailable/ Last updated: 2021-05-02T13:52:55.000Z Bioavailability is [the fraction of an administered substance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioavailability?ref=scottsemple.com) that the body can use. The difference between the dose and that fraction is waste. As my doctor once described unnecessary supplements, the excess is "just expensive pee." ## The bioavailability of nutrients How we absorb iron is a good example of bioavailability. For endurance athletes, iron is essential to [the delivery of oxygen and energy production](https://www.mysportscience.com/post/iron-levels-and-performance?ref=scottsemple.com). But how much iron we need is not necessarily how much we can absorb. The bioavailability of iron depends on the quality of the source and the food consumed with it. If you prioritize heme sources of iron, batch-consume sources together, and do so along with vitamin C, absorption is increased. Conversely, if you consume iron along with caffeine or calcium, absorption is decreased.[\*](https://www.mysportscience.com/post/preventing-and-treating-iron-deficiency?ref=scottsemple.com) ## The bioavailability of training Training is no different. The training we think we need—or wish we could do—may be more than we can tolerate. And secondary components will enhance or inhibit the type and volume of training we can absorb. To maximize the bioavailability of our training, we need to increase the enhancers and decrease the inhibitors. And we need to couple that strategy with the humility of knowing when enough is enough. Hubris in racing can be an enhancer; in training, it's an inhibitor. ## Enhancers & inhibitors Our habits and life constraints determine how much enhancers help and how much inhibitors interfere. Here are a few to consider: **Enhancers** (increase these) - Sleep - Food - Appropriate training before & after - Supportive network **Inhibitors** (decrease these) - Professional work load - Outside obligations - Stress - Discouraging network If you can increase your volume of sleep, improve the quality and timing of nutrition, make wise training decisions, and surround yourself with people that believe in you and your goal, then you'll be able to tolerate more training. In contrast, if you have a heavy professional life, a lot of outside obligations, a lot of stress, and many critics, your training will be greatly reduced. (You might even fall victim to [the HIITster attitude](https://www.scottsemple.com/learn-the-language/) and think there's a shortcut to performance.) ## Think of bioavailability as a barrel The barrel of bioavailability is limited by its construction. Similar to [Leibig's Law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebig%27s%5Flaw%5Fof%5Fthe%5Fminimum?ref=scottsemple.com), as the staves of the barrel (the enhancers) get longer, you can tolerate more valuable training. With wise selection, you'll perform better. In contrast, if there are leaks in the barrel (the inhibitors) your available training types and volume will fall until they're below the leak. > "*\[Liebig's Law\] states that a plant’s performance is affected not by the most abundant resource, but by the most deficient one.*" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2020/11/leibigs-law-staves-of-the-barrel-1.jpg) ### When it's full, it's full. When my great uncle was on leave from World War II, he followed the directions and put a tablespoon of bleach into his bath to get rid of the lice. Then he paused and thought, "If a tablespoon is good, then half the bottle must be better." When he retold the story decades later, he said in his strong Scottish brogue, "Some o' the wee bits was stingin'!" Like bleach in your bath, "more is better" in training is naive. Or worse, stupid. [The extra effort is usually wasted or counter-productive.](https://www.scottsemple.com/does-more-fatigue-mean-more-fitness/) The goal of training is to stimulate a response. Overwhelming our capacity to respond will reduce the response, not magnify it. ### Want a bigger barrel? To increase the size of the barrel, you need to lengthen the staves and plug the leaks. Ask yourself: **Which enhancers are missing?** - Are you getting at least eight hours of sleep per night? - Do your habits and lifestyle promote high-quality nutrition? Is the selection of fuel sources high-quality and well-timed? - Are your key training sessions supported by the proper speed, strength, and duration in the rest of your training? - Do your friends and family support your goal event? **Which limiters are present?** - Do you have an overwhelming job? - Do you have too many extracurricular obligations? - Is your life high-stress? - Do your friends and family criticize your goals? ### Leave some room. Even when you have everything aligned, it pays to be conservative. Leave a margin of safety between what you think you can do in a training session and what you execute. That leaves some extra bandwidth for misjudgments and extra energy for the recovery process. As Warren Buffett says, ""Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful." " Be fearful in training so that you can be greedy in your goal event. "Going to the well" is useful, but rarely. Leaving some room will speed and enhance recovery and, in the long-term, speed our rate of adaptation. ### The Basics of Basic Training Principles URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/the-basics-of-basic-training-principles/ Last updated: 2025-05-02T14:16:47.000Z At the 1960 summer Olympics, three New Zealand underdogs took home four medals. They podiumed [in the 800m](https://youtu.be/1H3waG11yH8?ref=scottsemple.com) (gold), the 5K (gold), the 10K (gold), and the marathon (bronze). "All three men were coached by Arthur Lydiard, a milkman and factory worker that had never been to college." 50 Meanwhile, the Europeans and Americans, favorites to win, "\[had prepared with\] the most grueling workouts their university-educated coaches could devise. How could their hard work and talent fail?" 51 --- Since the 1980s, training methods in North America have trended toward lower volume and higher intensity. At the same time, the athletes' performance in international competition has worsened. Skewing their training mix too far in favor of hard, anaerobic efforts has led to their decline. 26 It's a lesson that should have been learned in 1960 when Lydiard demonstrated the superiority of [a polarized training model](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2004.00418.x?ref=scottsemple.com). In contrast, African and East Asian athletes dominate international competition using a more conservative mix of high and low intensity with "prodigious amounts of quality running for years". Prioritizing "relaxed, high-volume aerobic training" has been a more effective approach. And of note for the average runner, it's especially effective for athletes with less natural talent. 30 ## How is energy produced? Davis separates energy production into aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Both terms could be misleading. First, the idea of "aerobic respiration" as a method for breaking down sugar groups a bunch of separate reactions into one. The byproducts of glycolysis—breaking down glycogen ("sugar") for energy—are necessary for aerobic energy production, but glycogen does not power the aerobic system directly. Second, the term "anaerobic respiration" is a contradiction. Glycolysis is an independent process that does not require oxygen. You can hold your breath and glycolysis will still function. (John Davis, the author of *Basic Training Principles* is very knowledgeable and well aware of this. I suspect he intentionally kept his description to a short summary.) In addition to sugar, fat and protein can also be broken down for energy by the aerobic system. Fat in particular is in almost limitless supply, but the chemical process is more complex. As such, while running out of fat stores is nearly impossible, the process is only sustainable at low to moderate intensities. (Magness, *The Science of Running*, 2014) That is, "low to moderate intensities" relative to the abilities of the athlete, not in absolute terms. For example, a world-class marathoner running at 21 kph for two hours is just above the aerobic threshold and primarily burning fat, not sugar. The key takeaway is that the aerobic pathway ("burning fat" and sugar) is a slow, low-power process with a huge fuel tank. In contrast, the anaerobic pathway ("burning sugar") is a quick, high-power process with a small fuel tank. In addition, the aerobic pathway is highly efficient, producing 36 units of energy per unit of sugar while the anaerobic pathway produces only two. ### How do the energy systems interact? One of the byproducts of glycolysis—pyruvate—is a fuel for the aerobic system. If the athlete is training at an intensity above the aerobic threshold, then pyruvate is being produced faster than the aerobic pathway can process it. At that point, the excess pyruvate turns to lactate and appears in the bloodstream. Lactate is correlated with muscle acidosis, but does not cause it (as was assumed in the past and called "lactic acid"). An increase in the processing capacity of the aerobic pathway increases the amount of pyruvate that can be used for energy. So the athlete can tolerate higher rates of glycolysis and, in addition, produce more aerobic energy at a greater intensity without slowing down due to acidosis. This is why [the aerobic base](https://open.spotify.com/episode/0zcgCgYtrVokizlC29Kg46?ref=scottsemple.com) is so important and applies to any event over \~45 seconds, not just to long-duration events. ## How did Lydiard train his athletes? As aerobic capacity increases, more of the byproducts of glycolysis can be processed. The higher the rate of processing, the greater the rate of glycolysis that the athlete can tolerate. The greater the rate that can be tolerated, the faster or longer the athlete can move before fatigue sets in. So as aerobic capacity increases so does anaerobic power (the rate of glycolysis that you can sustain for a given duration). This understanding—or, perhaps at the time, hypothesis—is what led Lydiard to train his athletes the way he did. Lydiard's approach was to break his training into two phases: the 10-week "marathon conditioning" phase to develop aerobic capacity; and an anaerobic phase to "handle the rigors of...frequent racing." (Note that this 10-week base phase—repeated twice per year—may be enough for highly developed athletes with years of training behind them. However, in our experience at Uphill Athlete, clients that are new to training—or those with damaged aerobic systems from chronic HIIT training—will often need many months of slow, easy training to get their aerobic houses in order.) ## How did Lydiard train volume? Lydiard's marathon conditioning phase calls for ten-to-twelve weeks of long duration training at an easy to moderate pace, day in and day out. "The further you run, the more you will improve—as long as your body has the chance to recover." 101 > The key to handling high-volume training is keeping the effort on all runs relaxed at first and introducing blocks of higher mileage or intensity gradually. Lydiard’s favorite way to describe the conditioning phase was “train, don’t strain.” 113 The fatigue that comes from long sessions comes from the duration, *not* from the intensity. This is true for both the fatigue from one day's training and the training week after week. With this approach, it can take up to a month for a chronic level of fatigue to manifest, especially at the start of a new training season. Lydiard's program is often misunderstood as a purely pyramidal one where high-intensity is deferred until closer to a competition, but that was not the case. During his marathon conditioning phase, "his runners would continue their high-volume training, but would incorporate uphill running, bounding, and sprinting exercises into their routines." 131 ## How did Lydiard train speed? Once the aerobic foundation has been laid, an athlete is set to maximize the benefits from the anaerobic phase. While the training across athletes during the aerobic phase may be very similar, the workouts chosen during the anaerobic phase will vary depending on the goal event of the athlete and their response to their training. > "Good training and bad training look exactly the same." > \~ *Ron Daws* Both coaches and athletes should take note: a cookie-cutter approach won't get the best results from all athletes. Coaches need to individualize their training plans, and athletes need to stop worrying about who else is doing what. What works for one may not work for another. But regardless of the event, the goal of the anaerobic phase is universal: to stimulate your body's anaerobic system, to build up your tolerance for lactate, and to familiarize your body and mind with the pace you will be running in your goal event. 159 So why not just skip the aerobic phase, jump to the race-specific training, and do as much as possible? Because the bigger the aerobic base the athlete has, the more they will benefit from the anaerobic phase. > You will be able to run more repeats, you will be able to run them faster, and you will require less recovery. Furthermore, your body will repair itself faster. 167 ## How did Lydiard's athletes race? By the time race season rolls around—or, for a mountain athlete, the departure date for an expedition—training is over. The focus needs to change from building fitness to protecting and using it. > The end of the season is not the time to make up for mileage by running workouts extra hard. At this point, your toughest days should be your races, and you should ensure that you are doing everything you can to recover after them. There are no magical “sharpening” workouts that will whip you into shape in a few days’ time. 183 Continuing to train past this point will lead to a decline in performance as the damage from anaerobic training builds up. This is a key point that the HIITsters don't understand and, if they do, are loath to admit. Some anaerobic training is good if it's supported by a strong aerobic base, but if overdone, the benefits can reverse and slow the athlete down. In Lydiard's case, "his runners would race and improve for several weeks...simply by recovering after races." ## For more John Davis wrote *Basic Training Principles* in 2012\. The principles contained therein are as relevant today as they have been in every other HIIT-frenzied period. Human metabolism hasn't changed, so neither will the general contents of an ideal training program. When training prioritizes gratification over effectiveness, the needle will move toward a HIIT-dominated program. If performance is measured, observers will see a plateau or decline. (If it isn't measured, blissful ignorance will ensue.) When the decline is evident, the trend will correct in favor of performance. To learn more, check out [*Basic Training Principles* on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Training-Principles-Middle-Long-Distance-Running-ebook/dp/B010GKWENY?ref=scottsemple.com) or get it [for free on Davis' website](http://www.runningwritings.com/2012/06/basic-training-principles-for-middle.html?ref=scottsemple.com). > \[Using the term "HIIT" is\] a signal that the person standing in front of me has only a basic grasp of endurance development. Endurance coaches don’t use "HIIT" in their vocabulary. They recognize the nuance of interval training... \[But\] in the beginner personal-trainer world, this nuance is lost, and they all get thrown into the HIIT category.” > > \~ [Steve Magness](https://www.scottsemple.com/learn-the-language/) --- Superscript numbers refer to the page or Kindle location of a quoted or paraphrased section of the original work. The main image is the cover image from *Basic Training Principles*. It was taken by Flickr user [SNappa2006](https://www.flickr.com/photos/snappa2006?ref=scottsemple.com). ### Does arduous exercise compromise immunity? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/does-arduous-exercise-compromise-immunity/ Last updated: 2025-10-15T15:54:56.000Z Originally [published at Uphill Athlete](https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/does-arduous-exercise-compromise-immunity/?ref=scottsemple.com) in July 2020. A recent article solicited opposing expert arguments about exercise and immunity. The researchers wanted to know whether “arduous exercise” compromises immune function. But for practicing athletes, the answer doesn’t matter. And it could be detrimental to know for sure. The important thing to realize is that training stress is only one stressor among many, and for non-professional athletes, it’s the one stressor that the athlete has complete control over. ## Athlete immunity is about more than training Imagine that you’re playing a game of Jenga. You pull away the plastic pile guide. One by one, you pull out blocks and stack them on top. At some point, the tower falls. When it does, which block is responsible? The top one, right? No, not really. The position of every block contributes to the instability of the tower. The last block was just the last straw. Blaming the last block is a case of the single-factor fallacy. We give one cause among many all the credit for the outcome. Although the researchers acknowledge that “a key point of agreement between the \[Yes/No\] groups is that infection susceptibility has a multifactorial underpinning”, they’re still curious if training on its own can compromise immunity. For active athletes, the eventual conclusion is irrelevant and possibly dangerous. ## Stress comes from many factors When I started structured endurance training, I used the strong-like-bull-smart-like-tractor approach. I had a full life, and I tried to cram a heavy training load into the space remaining. Unfortunately, I was stupider than I was strong. I ended up getting sick a lot more than usual. The frequency was enough for my friends and family to comment. Eventually, I [cracked the code](https://www.scottsemple.com/functional-mysophobia-crazy-ways-to-stay-healthy/), but my sick episodes created a permanent impression. “You always get sick,” a friend said, even after I had been healthy for over a year. By blaming the training, my friends and family were guilty of the single-factor fallacy. They accepted non-training life stressors as given, labeled training as the optional add-on, and then assigned the blame to it. For most people, training *is* an optional add-on. But like a game of Jenga, training was just the top block in the pile. I would have much rather dialed back my life stress than dialed back my training. But I didn’t do either, so I got sick. The reality is that all my life stress contributed to those first few years. And at least twice a year the baseline factors were significant and pushed me over the edge. But eventually, I wised up. I decreased my baseline stress, and I was able to increase my training volume by 40%. In that same year, I stayed healthy for 425 days and had my best performances ever. ## Stay healthy by managing your stress So rather than blame one factor, ask yourself some hard questions: 1. What margin of safety do I need to deal with the unexpected and still stay healthy? 2. With that margin of safety, do I have enough remaining bandwidth for the training I need to reach my goals? 3. If not, can I decrease my baseline stress? and 4. Can I increase my breaking point? or 5. Should I accept the bandwidth that I have available and dial back my training instead? ### 1\. What margin of safety do you need to stay healthy? At best, training is fudgy and imprecise, so it’s silly to try and come up with an exact margin of safety. Instead, what works well is to **never go to your limits in training**. (But racing is another story.) HIIT aficionados will hate the thought of delayed gratification, but it’s much more sustainable in the long-term. To do so, always have one more hour or one more interval left in the tank. **Do as much as necessary, not as much as possible**. Otherwise, you’re grinding yourself down. You’ll get weaker over time and, eventually, sick. ### 2\. Do you have enough bandwidth available? There’s a reason that many pro athletes live like monks. **The fewer external stressors they have, the more time and energy they can devote to training.** In contrast, the strong-like-bull-smart-like-tractor approach tries to cram everything in, acting as if trees can grow to the sky. The former is performance-driven and says no to anything that doesn’t contribute. The latter is gratification-driven and says yes to anything and everything. If we have responsibilities that aren’t important, we need to get rid of them. If they are important, we have to accept them and work around them, not fool ourselves and get greedy. Our total bandwidth is what’s between our baseline and our breaking point. Our baseline is the number of inescapable demands on us. Our breaking point is our mental and physical limits. ### 3\. Can you decrease your baseline stress? I think of baseline stress as **anything external, primarily work, people, and travel**. Can you work less? Or in a less-demanding job? Can you spend less time with stressful people? Can you avoid non-training travel? ### 4\. Can you increase your breaking point? While I think of baseline stress as external, resilience and vulnerability are internal. So what can we do to decrease vulnerability? The primary factors are food, sleep, and attitude. - Are you eating well? Is your diet nutritious and free of processed food and alcohol? - Do you sleep at least eight hours per night? Can you take a nap in the afternoon? - Can you improve your attitude in a practical way? Can you let go of what you can’t control? ## But what defines "arduous exercise"? The article defines arduous exercise as “those activities practiced by high-performance athletes \[and\]military personnel that greatly exceed recommended physical activity guidelines”. But that’s a little vague. A training session that might barely qualify as a recovery day for someone like Kilian Jornet might so severely tax a less well-trained athlete that it would leave that person broken. So saying that a training load of X is hazardous is non-specific and silly. It depends on the work capacity of the athlete and what “arduous” training they are used to. ## And why doesn't the effect on immunity matter? But even more importantly, whether arduous activity compromises immunity doesn’t matter. And, worse, it would be dangerous to know if it *didn’t*. If it were somehow proven that training had no effect on immunity, athletes would look at it in isolation. It would be “a get out of jail free card”. They would overtrain. Only by looking at every factor can an athlete get a good idea of how much they can handle. And then, with the right dose of humility, they can marshal their resources according to their capacity and priorities. ### What is aerobic evolution? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-evolution/ Last updated: 2021-05-02T13:53:07.000Z Genes constrain the *range* of our potential, but not its expression. Luck limits where we start. Training determines where we end up. We can't control our genes, but we can control how much they are expressed. > An athlete spends six to eight years building his aerobic house. > \~ Renato Canova, from a 2010 presentation at the [International Festival of Athletics Coaching](https://ifac.athleticscoaches.eu/?ref=scottsemple.com) ## How does the aerobic system evolve? With the necessary commitment and expertise, how can the aerobic system improve? ### First, threshold heart rates will rise with aerobic capacity. Thresholds heart rates[\[1\]](#fn1) start low relative to our maximum heart rate. And threshold speeds start low relative to our genetic potential. With proper training, the first wave change is one of heart rate. Both our aerobic and anaerobic threshold heart rates will rise closer to our maximum. Useless, generic formulas predict threshold heart rates of 70% and 80% of maximum, respectively. But proper training can well exceed those benchmarks. I have seen some athletes with threshold heart rates of 87% and 91% of maximum. Granted, it took decades of aerobic training to get to that level. ### Second, threshold heart rates will converge. A deficient aerobic system will have a larger gap between thresholds. The gap for a deficient aerobic system may be between 10 and 20%. The worst I've seen is in the neighborhood of 40%. In every case, a destructive addiction to high-intensity training created the largest gaps. As a rough example, with an anaerobic threshold heart rate of 180 BPM, I've seen aerobic thresholds as low as 130 BPM. In contrast, an aerobic threshold heart rate in a well-developed aerobic system could be above 170. For someone that is new to proper training, the first step in narrowing the gap is to build aerobic capacity. A good "white belt" rule of thumb is to achieve a gap of 10% or less between the anaerobic and aerobic thresholds. In the example above, a good goal is to raise the aerobic threshold heart rate above 160\. Only then would the athlete be ready to start adding some high-intensity training. Like salt, high-intensity training is neither good nor bad; it depends on how much you use. Over-used, athletes can destroy their aerobic systems. They become worse fat burners[\[2\]](#fn2) than a true beginner. ### Third, threshold speeds start to rise. After thresholds have converged, proper performance-driven training can begin. Aerobic capacity continues to increase so that the foundation can support a skyscraper. The aerobic system is now strong enough to tolerate a small amount of high-intensity[\[3\]](#fn3). With the right dose, high-intensity will allow for an increase in speed at all heart rates. In [my own training](link%5Fto%5Fseason%5Fplan) over a six-year period, [my threshold speeds rose 28% and 21%](link%5Furl), respectively. ### Fourth, threshold speeds can converge. Like heart rates, threshold speeds can converge. Also like heart rates, the aerobic speed tends to rise toward the anaerobic speed. This allows for faster paces at all intensities at a lower metabolic cost. But not every event benefits from close threshold speeds. For a long duration, steady-state event, fuel economy is the limiting factor. We have a limited amount of glycogen, and the brain will shut us down if its supplies get too low. The best way to marshall glycogen stores is to increase our aerobic threshold speed. Fuel efficiency increases as the aerobic threshold speed approaches the anaerobic. So the higher the percentage that aerobic threshold speed is of anaerobic, the faster the athlete can go while burning less glycogen. With longer-lasting glycogen stores, they can go longer faster. That longer-faster speed comes from aerobic and anaerobic speeds being closer together. For stochastic, shorter duration events, fuel efficiency is still important, but less so. Instead, it pays to have more anaerobic "gears" available. With a wider range of high-intensities to draw from, the athlete can attack and recover. The athlete can go faster more often. Those extra "gears" come from aerobic and anaerobic speeds being further--but not grossly--apart from each other. But a high aerobic capacity is still important for two reasons: 1. Even if fuel efficiency is less important in stochastic events, it's not *un*important. The higher our aerobic capacity, the less costly high-intensity will be. 2. Aerobic capacity serves a second purpose. It's the primary method to "clean up" after a high-intensity effort. The higher our aerobic capacity, the quicker we can recover. The quicker we can recover, the more often we can attack. ### Fifth, and most important, the duration at a threshold speed can *lengthen*. This is where lifetime devotion to an endurance sport really pays off. > Speed depends on mechanical and neuromuscular qualities and can be considered basic, natural baggage. So the possibility of improvement is \[proportionately\] limited. \[However,\] the extension of the speed depends on the \[metabolism\]. So the possibility of improvement is \[proportionately\] high. > \~ Renato Canova, from a 2010 presentation at the [International Festival of Athletics Coaching](https://ifac.athleticscoaches.eu/?ref=scottsemple.com) A lab test to determine thresholds increases intensity every three to five minutes. Holding a threshold speed for only five minutes informs assumptions about physiology. But that duration isn't much help in a goal event. Five minutes isn't long enough to perform very well on race day. Extending the duration of a speed improves performance much more than increasing the speed. And unlike speed increases, that improvement can continue for many, many years. > Before I began training as a runner, I could only run one kilometer at 16 kph. With training, I eventually sustained that speed for 15 kilometers, a 1500% increase. Similarly, whereas I was able to run two to three kilometers at 13.4 kph, I eventually ran 90 kilometers at that pace, an improvement of 3000%. During this period, my best 1600m speed increased from about 6:00 to 5:00, an improvement of 16%. I suspect that this is the range of performance changes that most ordinary athletes can achieve with dedicated training over many years. > The point is simply to establish a rough idea of the magnitude of improvement that you can achieve by proper training alone--perhaps a 10% to [25% improvement in speed](link%5Furl) over a short distance and a 1500% to 3000% *increase in the duration for which a specific running speed can be sustained*. \[Nothing other than training\] will ever be able to increase your performance by 1500% to 3000%...not even the illicit use of anabolic steroids. > \~ Tim Noakes, *The Lore of Running*, p.700 --- --- 1. There are two key thresholds that athletes need to be aware of: the ever-popular and gratifying anaerobic threshold, and the lesser-known, but more important, aerobic threshold. The *anaerobic threshold* is roughly defined as the top speed that we can maintain for 30-60 minutes (depending on experience). That speed is usually accompanied by a "maximum lactate steady state" (MLSS). The *aerobic threshold* is an easier intensity and a slower speed. It's usually associated with a lactate value of around 2 mM/L. Inexperienced athletes can maintain that pace for many hours (because the speed is slow) while professionals can for around two hours (because the speed is high). [↩︎](#fnref1) 2. By "fat burner", I do not mean someone who is all swole and beach-ready. Plenty of lean bodies house crappy aerobic systems. By fat burning, I mean burning fat when it's important; to fuel an effort, not to feed the ego. [↩︎](#fnref2) 3. How much high-intensity is too much? For most people, when the volume of high-intensity training exceeds 5% of total training time, their aerobic capacity will start to decline. A slight performance boost will deceive the athlete into thinking they've found a magic bullet. But if used too much, the negative side effects will overwhelm the positive. Performance will then plateau or decline. Suckered into a losing hand, the ignorant athlete then doubles down on even more high-intensity training. [↩︎](#fnref3) ### Does more fatigue mean more fitness? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/does-more-fatigue-mean-more-fitness/ Last updated: 2022-03-28T16:10:31.000Z *Training causes fatigue and fitness to appear in sequence. Then athletes confuse the degree of fatigue with future fitness. Sometimes, it’s the opposite.* I’ve had a sinus infection for three weeks. On day 17, I started taking antibiotics. The next day, I felt much better. Did the antibiotics help? The order of events makes it tempting to think that I’m better because of the medication: - Felt bad -> took antibiotics -> feel better. But what if I hadn’t taken the antibiotics? Would I have felt [better on Day #18 anyway](https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-thinking-on-sinus-infections-1428356464?ref=scottsemple.com)? No one can answer that. The sample size is too small. In my case, the presence of antibiotics and the improvement in my symptoms co-exist. But that doesn’t mandate a relationship between the two. [They correlate, but they don’t have a causal relationship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation%5Fdoes%5Fnot%5Fimply%5Fcausation?ref=scottsemple.com). My experience is only anecdotal. It proves nothing. ## Does fatigue cause fitness? ![A sketch showing the non-relationship between fatigue and fitness](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/fatigue-vs-fitness-correlation-not-causation.png?ssl=1) Fatigue and fitness are like my sinus infection. Two things appear close together in time. After high-volume or high-intensity training, we get tired. Then, after some recovery, fatigue decreases and fitness increases. But that doesn’t mean that fitness leads to fitness. Fatigue and fitness co-exist, so we assume that fitness is dependent on fatigue. But assuming causation leads to training mistakes. More training means more fatigue, but that doesn’t always mean more fitness. More might be better, or it could be worse. - **Is it possible to have a training stimulus and response, but no fatigue?** Yes, the desired response may not require noticeable fatigue. (When an athlete is aerobically deficient, acute fatigue will never be present). - **Is it possible to have a stimulus and fatigue, but no response?** Yes, the stimulus may be non-specific. Cycling for a marathon will not create event-specific fitness. - **Is it possible to have a stimulus and fatigue, but a negative response?** Yes, if the stimulus is anti-specific or too intense. Weight-training to increase leg mass will worsen [rock climbing](https://www.scottsemple.com/is-5-11-the-junk-zone-of-rock-climbing/) ability. Ultramarathons do enough damage that racers are less fit afterward than before. Proper training is applying the right load at the right time, not the largest load as often as possible. If we apply the wrong load at the wrong time, we’ll get the wrong effect. ![fatigue-fitness-strong-like-bull-smart-like-tractor](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/fatigue-fitness-strong-like-bull-smart-like-tractor.png?ssl=1) Proper training is planned with purpose. Random activity will lead to random changes in fitness. Going too long or too hard can overwhelm our ability to adapt. The change in fitness could be slower than required, not happen at all, or reverse. The right load depends on several factors: - Individual response; - Training history; - Current fitness; - Current level of recovery; and - The requirements of the goal event. ## Fatigue is a training byproduct, not a stimulus So does being tired always mean we’ll be fitter? And more tired means even more fitness? Too often we conclude that it does. Then we use *the strong-like-bull-smart-like-tractor approach* and grind ourselves into the ground. If fatigue were a predictor of fitness, then it should always work. But it doesn’t. For example: 1. A long trans-Atlantic flight in a cramped seat will make me tired. 2. A lot of long, easy runs below aerobic threshold won’t. 3. Which will make me fitter? So if fatigue is not a driver of fitness, what good is it? ## Fatigue is a traffic light for effort The purpose of fatigue is to gauge stress. As the severity climbs, our remaining bandwidth for training narrows. ### When the light is red When the light is red, the choice is obvious but counter-intuitive. Rest and recovery are the best choices for long-term fitness. Training should be easy, short, and low stress. But the classic mistake when over-fatigued is to drive harder. > The light is red… I have an idea! If we make it *more red*, then I’ll be able to go faster! Um… what? 🤔 Destroying ourselves becomes a badge of honor, even though it’s counter-productive. It’s *a gratification problem*: Badges feel good, even when they’re the wrong badges. Pushing through when over-fatigued will destroy fitness, *not magically defy gravity*. If you’re tired, go easy or go short so you can recover. ### When the light is yellow The hardest level of fatigue to interpret is when there’s *some* fatigue but not a lot. When training [aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-capacity-when-can-i-stop/), some mild, chronic fatigue is common. It’s usually a good sign. When training strength or power, fatigue is intense and acute. But when is enough enough? When does the chronic fatigue from base building become overtraining? How long should it persist? If the fatigue is intense will it also be short-lived? Or was it too much? Will it take too much recovery and interrupt the [training progression](https://www.scottsemple.com/skimo-training-progress/)? The yellow caution light represents a fine line. Coaches and experienced athletes walk it every day. Beginners usually blow right by it, thinking the fatigue can’t possibly be enough. ### When the light is green When the light is green, the choice to train is obvious. But selecting the right type, intensity, and duration is important. - Where are we in the macrocycle? - What’s the next desirable response in [the training plan](https://www.scottsemple.com/planning-a-training-season/)? - In theory, what’s the most likely stimulus for that response? - In practice, how is the athlete likely to respond? - How much of the stimulus will be beneficial? And how much would be too much? - How recovered does the athlete need to be for the next key stimulus? - How fast does this athlete recover? If you’re feeling fresh, go hard or go long in a way that makes you fitter for your goal event. Choose a training load that will improve your preparation or maximize your performance. Don’t choose something that only tells you you worked hard. ![A sketch of fatigue as a traffic light](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/fatigue-vs-fitness-traffic-light.png?ssl=1) Fatigue is a traffic light for effort. More is not always better. ## Don’t be fooled by fatigue My sinus infection is much improved. The two-week chills are gone and my nose is clear. But I’m still taking antibiotics. If I [went by feel](https://www.scottsemple.com/stimulus-response-the-best-thing-i-learned-from-climbing/), I’d stop taking them. But that would be an emotional response, not an intelligent one. The sample size of antibiotic use is in the millions. The statistics show that a full course of antibiotics is the best course. What I feel or believe is irrelevant. In training, erring on the conservative side of fatigue is a time-tested principle. We can’t fill a leaking bucket by making the hole bigger. Find a happy medium, ideally under supervision, for how much fatigue you are likely to be able to handle. How much fatigue we think we can handle is irrelevant (and probably wrong). Being tired only tells you the choice was challenging. It doesn’t tell you if it was the right choice. --- ### Gap the mind. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/gap-the-mind/ Last updated: 2025-06-04T14:54:52.000Z “If I fall here,” I thought. “I could die.” I was way above my last piece of gear on a delicate mixed pitch. The climbing was tenuous. Hard, black limestone was splattered with thin patches of ice. As I climbed higher, I could taste bile. I could climb up, but not down. I had to finish the pitch and find a belay. By the time I did, the pitch had stretched to 70m. Three gear placements would have held a fall. More than once, my fear threatened to take over. I wanted out of that situation *right @#$%ing now*. Like a rat in a maze, my mind started scratching for an exit. But there was only one way out: up. I couldn’t escape, so I had to soak in it. And if I freaked out, I’d end up falling off, perhaps dying, definitely breaking bones. So I pushed the fear away. I made it step back and give me some space. I couldn’t get rid of it, and I didn’t have the luxury of indulging it. But I could hold it back while I did something constructive. I had to keep climbing and find a decent anchor. Freaking out wasn’t gonna help. ## The gap between stimulus and response My experience is not unique. Most alpine climbers have been in similar situations. Whether it’s from bad gear or challenging terrain, that mental struggle happens for almost all climbers at some point. And it fosters the best life skill that climbing can offer. Forced restraint widens the gap between a stimulus and a response. And widening the gap turns a tunnel into a decision tree. Like a muscle, the gap starts skinny and weak. Only with stress and recovery can it increase in size. My gap is not the widest in the world, but it’s wider than it once was. I don’t do any dangerous climbing anymore, but the gap between stimulus and response has stuck with me. ## How the gap is often misunderstood If you’ve ever seen someone who pinballs through life, you’ve seen someone with a small gap. People with a narrow gap think that if you’re not overcome with emotion, then you must not have *any* emotion. If your heart isn’t on your sleeve, then you don’t have one. But feeling something and being ruled by it are not the same thing. Being ruled by an emotion only means that the feeling was strong enough to bridge the gap between stimulus and response. But if the gap is small, then any little old feeling will do. And only if the gap is large do you know if an overwhelming emotion is strong. ### To perform or protect? Which is better? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/perform-or-protect-which-is-better/ Last updated: 2022-03-28T16:24:15.000Z Most mornings, I make pour-over coffee. I weigh and hand-grind 20 grams of whole beans. I pre-rinse a filtered V60 cone. Then I put the grounds in the cone on a mug on a digital scale. When the water reaches \~93 degrees Celsius, I start to pour. First, I saturate the grounds with 40g of hot water and then let them bloom for 30 seconds. Next, I start the full pour. The ideal ratio of water to grounds is ~~16:1~~ [11:1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOO5S4vxi0o&ref=scottsemple.com). So ~~320g~~ 220g of water is the target for 20g of coffee. [![null](https://i1.wp.com/i.giphy.com/media/EqigTehk6hGQE/source.gif?ssl=1)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOO5S4vxi0o&ref=scottsemple.com) Do your amps (and your coffee) go to 11? Now, as I pour more water through the cone, when should I stop? “Stop at 220g” is trickier than it sounds. If I wait until the scale says 220g, the total amount of water will be greater. I can’t stop the flow fast enough. If I stop pouring too soon, the amount of water will be less. So if exactly 220g is unlikely, which outcome is more favorable, less water or more? Which state should I optimize for? Is the goal to perform a perfect pour? Or to protect the flavor of the coffee? ## To perform or protect in sport Training and racing demand both protection and performance. But which should we use when? In training, the priority is to protect. Undertraining won’t maximize our short-term [ramp rate](https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/why-ramp-rate-is-an-important-training-metric/?ref=scottsemple.com). But overtraining can lead to injury, illness, and burn out. All three reduce our rate of improvement by more than we gain by training to our limits. By avoiding those long, [unplanned breaks](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-come-back-from-an-unplanned-break/), our eventual fitness will be greater. Undertraining is much better than getting sick, injured, or overtrained. [Being continuous and gradual](https://www.scottsemple.com/genetic-potential-sure-but-excuses-matter-more/) will always trump being irregular and aggressive. But during a goal event, the goal is to perform, not to protect. If the event is important enough, even injury might be acceptable. Giving all we have is mandatory. Crossing the finish line with a margin of safety would be foolish. Years of conservative training will better prepare us for those special moments. Training less than we’re capable of will protect our fitness. Then when it’s time to go all-out, we’ll have as much capacity as possible to perform. > Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful. > \~ Warren Buffett, the [2004 Berkshire Hathaway annual letter](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2004ltr.pdf?ref=scottsemple.com) ## And what about coffee? Too much water means weaker coffee. That’s certain to be bad. Not enough water means stronger coffee. That’s more likely to be good. So pour-over coffee is about protecting the taste of the drink. It’s *not* about perfecting the pour. With 20g of coffee, 220g of water is the upper limit. *Less is acceptable, while more is not.* With anything that has an upper limit, it’s best to play defence. We need to have a margin of safety built into our process. ### Genetic potential? Excuses matter more. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/genetic-potential-excuses-matter-more/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:13:27.000Z “Uh oh, you’re not going to like that,” my wife said. We were in a bookstore, and I had picked up a copy of [*The Sports Gene*](https://www.amazon.com/Sports-Gene-Extraordinary-Athletic-Performance/dp/161723012X/?ref=scottsemple.com). I often sneer at discussions about genetics in sport. It’s not that I disbelieve that genes set our limits. They do in an absolute sense. What I despise are feigned tests of potential, and using the idea of genetics as an excuse. If we can prove that something is impossible, then we’re freed from the obligation and effort to try. And if we’re afraid of failure, then we’ll look for evidence of the impossible. Easy answers will spring to mind. Superficial tests will be tempting. Dipping a toe in the pool doesn’t tell us if we can swim. One summer of cycling doesn’t predict a ride in the Tour de France. Trying something “off the couch” only says someone doesn’t care that much about the result (which is fine). Or they’re too afraid to prepare and perform (which is not). ![A sketched graph of time versus increasing ability](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/time-vs-ability.png?w=50%25&ssl=1) Because genes provide a hard and fast limit, they do define what is (and isn’t) possible. But that limit is only realized after [years of smart, supervised training](https://www.scottsemple.com/the-talent-myth/). Too often, the *lower* limit of our genetic range is an excuse. But it’s the *upper* limit that should inspire as an ideal. In reality, it’s the ratio of work to excuses that determines how much of our genetic range we can realize. ## How to realize genetic potential We can’t control what we’re born with, but we can control what we do with it. The factors within our control determine how much of our genetic range we can express. So don’t worry about the extremes of the range. Worry about what restrictions are put on its expression. ![A sketch of two athletes: genetic potential and excuses vs. no potential and no excuses](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Advantages-and-excuses.png?w=50%25&ssl=1) Here are six keys to exploring genetic potential: 1. **Don’t exercise. Train.** Exercise is irregular, unstructured, and goalless.[1](#fn-316983-1) Training is continuous, strategic, and planned. > *Training is not the same as exercising; training requires discipline, attention, and consistency.* > \~ [*Training for the New Alpinism*](https://evokeendurance.com/books/?ref=scottsemple.com), p.183 2. **Use proven methods, not gratifying fads.** If a training tool is exciting in the short-term, uncertain in the long-term, and promoted as a “secret”, then it’s a fad. If the tool sounds simple and has a long history in mature sports, then it’s likely a proven method. 3. **Value training as much as a job.** Structure and proven methods won’t get far without the work. To do it, refuse most life demands that others accept without hesitation. Think of training as a job, and there’s a much better chance of getting the work done. > *Sorry, I can’t tonight. I have to ~~work~~ train tomorrow.* 4. **Be consistent, patient, and flexible.** The guiding principles of training are continuity, gradualness, and modulation.[2](#fn-316983-2) A modest, humble routine will always trump [random, aggressive exercise](https://www.strava.com/?ref=scottsemple.com). Consistent steps in the right direction will triumph over chaotic fits and starts. 5. **Think (and act) long-term.** Success in six weeks? They’re selling something. It takes ten years to get an MD or a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Why would physical transformation take any less? ## Genetics is a dial, not a switch. [Eliud Kipchoge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliud%5FKipchoge?ref=scottsemple.com) was born with brown eyes and world-record marathon ability. Growing up in Kenya, he ran two miles to and from school, every day, for years. He met his coach when he was 16\. Then it took almost 20 years of [focused training](https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20793538/the-simple-life-of-one-of-the-worlds-best-marathoners/?ref=scottsemple.com) before he broke the marathon world record. ![A side-by-side illustration of genetics as a dial vs. a switch](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/wordpress/2020/01/Dial-not-a-switch.png) Like the rest of us, he got eye color for free. Also like the rest of us, it took decades of hard work to realize his genetic potential in his sport. Genes *are* the most concrete limiter in our performance. And [the least important factor](https://www.scottsemple.com/vo2-max-a-14-year-retrospective/) in *discovering what that limit is*. We can’t overcome our genetics, but we can overcome our excuses. And genetics is the first excuse to overcome. --- 1. Being healthy or attractive are not athletic goals, although both are often gratifying byproducts of them. [↩](#fnref-316983-1) 2. [*Training for the New Alpinism*](https://evokeendurance.com/books/?ref=scottsemple.com), Steve House & Scott Johnston, p.47 [↩](#fnref-316983-2) ### "When can I stop easy training?" URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-capacity-when-can-i-stop-easy-training/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:10:45.000Z When I introduced an allowance to our oldest son, I used three jars: Spend, Give, and Save. The three jars represented three big-picture elements of managing money. After describing the first two, I got to the one that I was most excited about, the Save jar. “And with this jar,” I said with glee. “This money you keep forever.” “FOREVER…?” my son said, horrified. “But I don’t want to save forever…” His 5-year-old face fell. He looked dejected. It was my fault. I did a bad job of explaining the concept. And for young kids, the idea of building toward self-perpetuating wealth is too hard to grasp. But for adults, the advantages of building and maintaining wealth should be obvious. Watching the first few dollars add up is a long, slow slog, but it’s worth it in the end. And building [aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-destroy-aerobic-capacity/) works the same way. ## Building aerobic capacity is saving. Using capacity is spending. Michael Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman uses [a capacity versus utilization model](https://swimmingcoach.org/capacity-vs-utilization/?ref=scottsemple.com). The idea comes from [Jan Olbrecht](https://www.amazon.com/Science-Winning-Planning-Periodizing-Optimizing-ebook/dp/B009JTJ676?ref=scottsemple.com). In any training session, you can either build capacity or use it, but not both. **You can “save” your aerobic money by building up mitochondria. Or you can “spend” your money by using it up.** ## So when can you spend everything you’ve saved? How many people do you know that spent their way to wealth? **You can blow your bankroll whenever you want to be poor.** Or if [delayed gratification is too much of a challenge](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX%5Foy9614HQ&ref=scottsemple.com). When you no longer care about being as fit and fast as you can be, then aerobic capacity doesn’t matter anymore. Spend at will. But who wants to be poor?[1](#fn-316920-1) ## If you don’t want to spend it all, how much can you spend? Let’s jump back to the wealth example. Based on the historical annual gains of the S&P 500 index, a sustainable withdrawal rate is only 3-4%. So on a nest egg of a million dollars, you can only take out $30-$40,000 per year. That’s not a lot, is it? **The good news for your fitness is that you can make bigger withdrawals on aerobic capacity. The bad news for your ego is that it’s not bigger by much.** - For events of 90 minutes or more, high-intensity training shouldn’t exceed 5% of training time. So in a 10-hour week, you’d want to keep the minutes of high-intensity training to 30 minutes or less. In a 500-hour year, high intensity should be 25 hours or less. - For shorter events, you can stretch the high-intensity up to 10% of training time.[2](#fn-316920-2) So a good rule of thumb is [3-6 minutes of intensity per hour](earn%5Fyour%5Fburn) of aerobic capacity training (applied on a weekly or longer basis). ## So most of my training will be slow forever? No. There’s good news after all! The more “savings” you have the more “spending” you can do. A deca-millionaire can spend ten times as much as a millionaire and still maintain her wealth. The ratio is the same for both–3 to 4%–but the deca-millionaire has ten times the disposable income. Saving is tedious when it starts, but more and more gratifying as the amounts get bigger. The same is true for aerobic capacity. **It’s slow to start, speeds up, and gets fun when it’s fast.** ## How does aerobic capacity work get faster? Building aerobic capacity happens in two stages; one short, one long: 1. **In the first phase, the athlete’s aerobic threshold heart rate will start to rise**. The [the sugar/fat fuel mix](hybrid%5Fcar%5Fanalogy) improves. And then the aerobic threshold heart rate gets closer to the anaerobic. How fast it changes depends on three things: - [individual response](genetic%5Fpotential); - [the density of aerobic training](time%5Favailable); and - [the discipline to avoid high-intensity training](smart%5Flike%5Ftractor) during this period. 1. In the second phase, the aerobic and anaerobic threshold speeds [rise and converge](arrowhead%5Fendurance). With the right training, the first phase can happen in weeks or months. The second can [persist for years](https://www.scottsemple.com/vo2-max-a-14-year-retrospective/). ## So get saving. > *“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.”* At the start, aerobic capacity training is tedious and slow. And it can be lonely. With all your friends [chasing KOMs](https://www.strava.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) and getting weaker, it can be hard to hold back and get stronger. When I started proper endurance training, I was always the slow guy. I was way off the back with almost everyone I went out with. After years of proper training, what I used to think was hard is a pace that I can maintain all day. I don’t have [the genetics to be world-class](https://www.scottsemple.com/genetic-potential-but-excuses-matter-more/), but the gains I’ve made have transformed my experience. As my performance has improved, my days in the mountains have expanded. I have a wider menu of terrain to choose from. It was a long road, but it was worth it. --- 1. Some may argue that religious mystics are quite happy being poor, but that’s only in the material sense. I don’t see a difference between a monk and a millionaire. The monk is other-supported, living off the generosity of others. The millionaire is self-supported, living within his means (which has to be a small part of his net worth). Both are wealthy in their own way. [↩](#fnref-316920-1) 2. The “80:20 rule” is common when it comes to recommended volumes of low- and high-intensity training. That ratio comes from a “session goal” approach to quantifying training time. It counts intensity by the goal of a session rather than the actual minutes of low- or high-intensity. So if you had two high-intensity workouts in ten, that would qualify as an 80:20 split for a session goal approach. But that doesn’t reveal the actual training ratio. In a world-class program, minutes of high-intensity are a much smaller proportion. [↩](#fnref-316920-2) ### What is the most important intensity? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/race-pace-the-most-important-intensity/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:11:28.000Z Performance in an endurance event comes from the highest average speed. Training determines what the highest average speed–“race pace”–will be. The higher the race pace, the faster the time. The faster the time, the better the performance. So the more race pace training an athlete can tolerate, the better prepared the athlete will be. They’ll be able to make race pace faster or they’ll be able to extend the time they can maintain it. So the key to improving performance in an endurance event is to train as much as possible at race pace. But how it’s trained is not what most people think. ## How is race pace trained? The key to race pace training is to do “as much as possible”. But that begs the question, **as much as possible when?** When a novice is starting to train? (No.) Before an important event? (Sometimes.) Or five years from now when the athlete is more developed? (Hell yeah.) **And what determines how much is possible?** What maximizes the potential volume of training at race pace? First, the bad news: **Your gut instinct is wrong.** The first instinct of novice athletes is to go as hard as possible as often as possible. The thinking goes like this: “If I can push hard for five minutes today, tomorrow I’ll be able to do six. The next day, seven. If I keep beating my head against the wall, I can’t help but get stronger.” Even worse, this approach is often applauded by [the uninformed HIIT-trend crowd](https://www.scottsemple.com/learn-the-language/). Even more confusing to a novice is that the head-beating approach will work. But only for a while. Then the athlete will stagnate while the *rating of perceived exertion* stays the same. The athlete continues working “hard”, but race pace stops increasing and often slows. ### Why does chronic high-intensity training decrease performance? The confusing thing is that high-intensity exercise has both positive and negative effects. At the start, the positive effects outweigh the negative. The athlete gets faster. But if high-intensity training is chronic, the negative effects will overwhelm the positive. The athlete then gets slower. So a net advantage becomes a net disadvantage. *Like investing with leverage*, what creates a short-term benefit is a long-term hazard. Here’s why: Each time it’s used, high-intensity exercise creates negative byproducts. With these metabolites, the aerobic system sustains some damage. [Aerobic capacity shrinks](https://www.scottsemple.com/race-pace-the-most-important-intensity/). At the outset, the increase in performance outweighs the decrease in [aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-destroy-aerobic-capacity/). The novice sees that [it’s working](https://media.giphy.com/media/9K2nFglCAQClO/giphy.gif?ref=scottsemple.com) and does even more. For a recreationalist, the reduction in aerobic capacity doesn’t matter. Performance isn’t a priority; benchmarks and [time trials](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-run-a-4-minute-time-trial/) aren’t used. So the decrease in aerobic capacity–and ultimately performance–will go unnoticed. Like *setting a skin track that’s too steep*, the recreationalist feels like they’re working hard even though they’re gaining less ground. But it’s the feeling that counts, so they’re happy. But for an athlete working toward a goal, performance is key. **How a workout feels is less important than what the workout does.** A lot of high-intensity training will create short-term gains. But six weeks later, the gains will stop as the decrease in aerobic capacity outweighs the gains in speed. And then the athlete starts to slow. As gains slow, stop, and reverse, the novice gets frustrated. He thinks the obvious thing to do is even more high-intensity, so he [doubles down on a losing hand](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vkl6mPTBBc&t=8s&ref=scottsemple.com). The aerobic system sustains more damage. Aerobic capacity is further reduced, and the decline continues. The thinking goes like this: > *“If high-intensity works, do more! If it doesn’t work, do more!”* ### Why does low-intensity training make an athlete faster? In contrast, complementing high-intensity training with low-intensity fixes the problem. Training at an intensity *below the aerobic threshold* (not the anaerobic) helps in several ways: - It repairs the damage to the aerobic system from high-intensity training. Low-intensity training regenerates mitochondria (the aerobic engines in our cells). And it does so without eliminating the increase in speed from higher-intensity training; - Once restored, our mitochondrial mass continues to grow; - As mitochondrial mass grows, the ability to absorb greater amounts of metabolites grows; - As absorption capacity grows, the athlete can tolerate more high-intensity training; - The more high-intensity that’s tolerated, the more race pace training is possible; - The more race pace training, the better the athlete will perform in a goal event. (*Race pace will increase or–better yet–extend*.) ## More low-intensity training means more race pace training Chronic, short-term, high-intensity training is a steep staircase that ends in a cliff. You can bound upward, but then you’re faced with a choice: walk back down or jump. A performance decline is the only outcome. In contrast, a more gradual staircase is more sustainable. A proper, patient mix of high- and low-intensity will maximize your [genetic potential](https://www.scottsemple.com/genetic-potential-sure-but-excuses-matter-more/). And if you plod up that gradual staircase long enough, what you find hard today will be easy. Your five- and ten-year gains will shock you. *But the gains happen at a much slower rate.* Patience is key. ### A Review of My 2018/2019 Skimo Training URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/a-review-of-my-2018-2019-skimo-training/ Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:32:27.000Z The 2018/2019 skimo season was my best ever. I finished the season sixth in Canada and went to the World Championships in Switzerland. A lot of factors contributed to that outcome, luck included. My 2018 training cycle was a big factor. It was much different than in previous years with several helpful differences. And it went almost according to plan. In July of 2018, I laid out my macrocycle for the season. [My plan had 14 areas that I wanted to improve on](https://www.scottsemple.com/planning-a-training-season/). By the end of the race season, I had success with eight of them, improved three, and three collected dust. | Success | Some Improvement | Gathered Dust | | --------------------- | ---------------- | --------------- | | More rest | Be more social | Have more fun | | More specific | More LME | More altitude | | More easy volume | More strength | More stretching | | More shuttle training | — | — | | Precise intensity | — | — | | More testing | — | — | | Hire a nutritionist | — | — | | Canova periodization | — | — | | Bonus: More intensity | — | — | ## What was a success? ### Take more rest This was a big improvement over previous years and a big part of how was I able to stay healthy for so long. I made two big changes that helped a lot. I made training my top priority; and I focused on maximizing my sleep, both at night and with regular naps. I went 425 days with no more than some brief sniffles. Minor cold symptoms disappeared with a day or two of rest. As a result of my increased consistency, my training volume was much higher than ever before. With more volume, I was able to tolerate a lot more intensity. More sleep, more rest, and less stress were all big supporting factors. ![A chart of skimo training volume over six years](https://i2.wp.com/www.redlinealpine.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Annual-training-volumes.png?ssl=1) More rest + less stress = more volume ### Be more specific I was on skis much more last year. In the summer, I did a lot of uphill roller skiing and more skimo skiing in the winter. In hours, my absolute time on skis increased by 101%. As a percentage of my total training hours, my time on skis increased by 46%. ![A chart of training volume by training mode](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Volume-by-Mode.png?ssl=1) Time on skis increased both in absolute hours (270h vs. 145h) and as a percentage of total training hours (\~37% vs. \~26%). ### Do more super easy volume I did a lot of 1 mM training last year. Training at 1 mM of lactate may be the hardest intensity to train at because it is so damn easy. Training that easy makes running even more tedious than it is on its own. It made for a good mental challenge and made for a very solid training base. In hours, my time at 1 mM increased by 183%. As a percentage of my total training hours, my 1 mM training increased by 94%. ![A chart of training volume by heart rate zones](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Volume-by-HR.png?ssl=1) Compared to the ’17/’18 season, I spent much more time training at L1 paces. (Paces that elicit a \~1.5 mM level of lactate or lower.) It made ahuge difference in the amount of high-intensity training that I could handle late in the cycle. ### Do more lactate shuttle training This was the second season where I included MLSS bounce intervals. Last year, I couldn’t tolerate the full progression; it was too intense. But this year I got through all eight weeks, and I felt strong throughout. The MLSS bounce progression is eight workouts long with ten intervals each. Each session includes a hard warm-up (to get things firing) and an all-out power test at the end. Within the workout, the work interval is above anaerobic threshold. The “recovery” interval is *at* anaerobic threshold. Over time, the work interval gets longer while the recovery interval gets shorter. The workouts are brutal. Without the [precision of a treadmill](https://www.scottsemple.com/training-on-a-treadmill-accuracy-versus-precision/) or track, the same workout wouldn’t be possible. By alternating between these two intensities, it forces the body to reabsorb lactate. As the capacity of the “lactate shuttle” increases, high-intensity [training becomes more aerobic](https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-capacity-when-can-i-stop/). As it does, the athlete can maintain those high-intensity paces for longer. These workouts are intimidating and hard to finish. But the benefits are profound. By the end of the series, my anaerobic threshold pace was much more manageable. Comparing the warm-ups for each session is revealing. Each warm-up ended with six minutes at anaerobic threshold or above. Over eight sessions, my lactate values at the end of that period dropped from 3.7 mM to 2.5 mM. ![A chart of lactate samples across a series of anaerobic bounce workouts](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/MLSS-Bounce-Lactate-Samples-1.png?ssl=1) ### Be precise with intensity This was a home run. By buying a treadmill, I trained by very precise paces. I used a training system based on Renato Canova’s marathon training. The system uses very gradual and very slight changes in pace throughout a macrocycle. By the time I got to race season, I could tolerate a lot more race pace in my workouts. An unexpected benefit was the mental component. The more precise I could be, the more I could experiment with small changes in intensity. At that level, small changes in intensity have big changes in perceived effort. Pace increases of 1 or 2% can change a workout from manageable to impossible. And the more time that I spent there, the more at home I felt. The perceived effort of that intensity lessened. That helped a lot once race season cam around. Now I have a much better feel for different intensities. And I’ve become very skeptical about high-intensity heart rate training. (Not to mention [training by RPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rating%5Fof%5Fperceived%5Fexertion?ref=scottsemple.com) which is a joke…) For those new to training or only focused on long durations, heart rate training is close enough. But for athletes that need high intensities, specific training paces are necessary. ### Lactate testing This was a big win as well. [I tested a lot](https://www.scottsemple.com/skimo-training-progress/) and across a broad range of workout types. I [tested across basic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/) tests and high-intensity progressions. Seeing the changes in lactate was super helpful and a great education. ### Hire a nutritionist This was a success. I hired Rebecca Dent to review my nutrition and build a custom plan for me. It was well worth it. Rebecca confirmed things that I was doing right and made several improvements. She made some periodization suggestions, recommended some supplements, and prescribed more protein. I raced well and recovered faster. ### How did I structure it? [The Canova-style periodization](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZvBzcgQmniLyYxguMfuci0zzxb%5FuDQVPy3DmmI6U8%5FQ/edit?usp=sharing&ref=scottsemple.com) worked well. My training paces were very specific, and I progressed workouts week by week. The only workouts I repeated were recovery sessions. Otherwise, each workout was different than the last. This forced constant adaptation and kept things interesting throughout the year. It’s an awesome way to train. Working from both ends of the spectrum throughout the macrocycle was a huge help. On one extreme was pure speed; on the other, effective duration. And many small steps in speed make new intensities easier to handle. By the time I got to race pace, I was comfortable, less intimidated, and more efficient at it. ![A macrocycle template for the 2018/2019 training season](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2018-2019-Macrocycle-Template.png?ssl=1) (But by “a lot of high-intensity” I mean more than I had done in years past. *The proportion* of high-intensity training relative to low-intensity should always be small. In the neighborhood of \~5% of total training time is a good target. Mine was 4.42% over 735 training hours.) ## What was a surprise? ### Much more high intensity I hadn’t planned on it, but I did a lot more high-intensity training. I suspect the credit goes to more easy volume and being precise with intensity. ## What went okay? ### Be more social My training was more social this past season, but not by much. Again, resorting to convenience often pre-empted scheduling training sessions with other people. I shouldn’t, but I still default to efficiency over the training experience. Toward the end of a season, the monotony wears. Over the course of a multi-year cycle, it’s exhausting. ### Do more Local Muscular Endurance The LME work worked well. I did less than I planned (only one 12-week series rather than two 8-week series), but it helped a lot. One of my key limiters was leg strength. I could only do a couple of high-end intervals before my peak heart rate would start to fall. I didn’t have the leg strength to demand much of my heart and lungs at high intensity. But this past year, after I was through with the first LME series, my legs felt much stronger. It felt like I was running on springs. And by the time I got to super-anaerobic efforts, I had the leg strength to be consistent at them. I could finish a series of hard intervals and keep my heart rate up throughout. ![A chart of lactate samples after Local Muscular Endurance workouts.](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Local-Muscular-Endurance-Sample-Chart-1.png?ssl=1) ### Do more strength training I didn’t do as much strength training as I had planned, but I was consistent enough. I kept a regular program of max strength workouts throughout the season. ## What didn’t change? ### Have more fun I had planned on more variety and listening to more music, but old habits die hard. I resorted to convenience a lot of the time, repeating objectives that I’ve done a thousand times. For music, I usually forgot about it until I was out on the trail. And I hate dealing with headphone wires, so that doesn’t help… ### Get up high more often This was a total fail. I had planned several training trips to high altitude, but I cheaped out. I wasn’t willing to pay for the flights and hotels. ### Stretching Super fail! I am Bad At Stretching! ## Now what? Today, I’m near the end of a six-month recovery. Instead of training, I’ve just been exercising…and losing fitness and gaining weight. Doh. I needed a break, but it’s getting a little long in the tooth. I’m trying to decide what I want to do next. The usual problem for me is having more interests than time or energy. More skimo? Climbing? Cycling? Whatever I decide, I’ll try and take what I learned from last year, keep what worked, and improve where I can. At 45, I can feel that my physical window of performance in endurance sports is closing. I want to use what I’ve learned before it’s gone for good. ### Six Drills to Make ARC Training More Effective URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/six-drills-to-make-arc-training-more-effective/ Last updated: 2025-06-28T12:52:43.000Z After a ten-year hiatus, I’ve started rock climbing again. I “remember” how to move–thank God for [engrams](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7611167%5FIn%5FSearch%5Fof%5Fthe%5FMotor%5FEngram%5FMotor%5FMap%5FPlasticity%5Fas%5Fa%5FMechanism%5Ffor%5FEncoding%5FMotor%5FExperience?ref=scottsemple.com)–but I started with zero climbing fitness. My forearms felt pumped and acidic within seconds. Even after two months of training, I’m just starting to feel like I have some endurance. To rebuild my fitness, I’ve been using the methods from [*The Rock Climber’s Training Manual*](https://rockclimberstrainingmanual.com/?ref=scottsemple.com). I wish that I had that book 15 years ago. The authors, Mike and Mark Anderson, have a thorough, modern understanding of physiology. The Anderson program starts with aerobic restoration and capillarity sessions. An “ARC” session consists of continuous climbing at a low intensity[1](#fn-316642-1). The intervals start at 2x 20′ and build to 2x 45′ over several weeks. For most rock climbers, staying on the wall for 20′ is very long and super boring. Listening to music or audiobooks is an option, but that has a huge opportunity cost. By only climbing, you’ll gain some basic fitness. But you’ll lose out on something much more important: technique. Improving as a climber has more to do with technique than fitness. This is especially true for beginners and intermediates, a group I recently rejoined. To work on technique, I prefer to train in silence and think about my movement. It’s more engaging and much more productive. So when ARCing, don’t get on the wall and climb without a focus. That *would* be boring. Think like a dancer or gymnast. *Practice something.* ## Use the slip grip When I started training, everything felt pumpy regardless of the grade. I couldn’t tell the difference between 5.6 and 5.10\. I was gripping just as hard regardless of the hold size. After a week or so, I started testing the smallest amount of pressure that I needed to stay on a handhold. 1. Each time I grabbed a hold, I would relax my grip until my hand started to slip off; then 2. I’d tighten it just enough to hang on. Soon, easy routes were no longer pumpy. My warm ups were much more thorough. ARC training was feeling much more effective. ## Don’t look for footholds. Instead, put your foot on “lookholds”. Our bodies know how to stay in balance. When running, no one has to think about where to place their feet. Each foot strike is where it needs to be to keep us in balance and moving forward. The same goes for [rock climbing](https://www.scottsemple.com/is-5-11-the-junk-zone-of-rock-climbing/). But our panicked brains usually think they know better. They don’t. We look where we need to step, and fear takes over. “That’s not big enough!” But the placement of a foot is more important than what it’s stepping on. A small foothold closer to centerline may be more efficient than a bigger edge that is off balance. 1. Start on a route far below your onsight level. It’s important to stay calm. Getting pumped will only interfere. 2. When you look down to move a foot, *note the place where you first look*. That’s where your body wants to step. Foothold or not, it’s likely the best location. 3. Step where you first looked. The “lookhold” location will usually be below your highest hand, because… ## We be quadripedes Regardless of the sport, stability comes from a cross-limb connection. We connect one hand with the opposite foot through our pelvis. The mechanics are different between sports, but the principle is universal. But what’s obvious when running and walking is much less so when rock climbing. [But watch great climbers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOU66xAHzQQ&t=03m43s&ref=scottsemple.com). They are masters of balance. They create tension between opposite limbs almost every move. To practice, try this: 1. When moving between footholds, many small steps are better than fewer bigger steps; 2. Get in position, but use only one foothold. (Hint: Pair your main pulling hand with the opposite foot.) Your idle foot will go where it needs to go, acting as an outrigger on a catamaran; 3. When pulling upward, create tension between your pulling hand and your supporting foot. Some might say, “That’s not true. [Flagging](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juPtjVgcQbg&t=57s&ref=scottsemple.com) lets you use a same-hand-same-foot connection.” That’s true about the hand-foot pairing. But it doesn’t violate the principle of cross-limb stability. With both inside and outside flags, a foot moves to the opposite side of the pelvis. It reverses the roles of the feet. In effect, it “tricks” the body into thinking a right leg is a left or vice versa. The principle of cross-limb stability still applies. ## Don’t climb like a frog. Unless you’re in Smith Rock. The other day in the gym, I saw a thin, strong-looking woman. “Probably 5.11,” I thought. But she struggled on 5.10. She’s plenty strong enough to climb harder. But a common mistake was holding her back: She placed her feet parallel to the wall. Each foot placement had full contact along her big toe, from the ball of her foot to the tip of her toe. That creates several problems: - The foot can’t pivot to the inside. That blocks the hips from twisting and limits the reach of the non-pulling hand. One solution is to flag the opposite foot and lean sideways. [Sometimes it’s necessary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOU66xAHzQQ&t=04m26s&ref=scottsemple.com), but it puts a lot of weight onto the pulling hand. - The foot can’t pivot to the outside either. If it’s forced to, it could rotate right off the foothold. - It takes up too much real estate. Placing a foot parallel to the wall makes foot matches difficult. The first foot hogs the whole hold, so switching feet requires imprecise foot-hopping. - It stops your hips from touching the wall. The closer your hips are to the wall, the less force you need to hang onto handholds. The frog position makes your butt stick out, putting more strain on your arms. (And even if you are super flexible, sitting like a frog is a very static position. It’s harder to move out of.) - You can’t pull with your toes. The upward motion should start with the toes, pulling the body closer to the wall. In a frog position, the gluteus medius muscle does the pulling. It’s a much weaker muscle than the hamstring. - Your weight is even between legs, making upward progress awkward. We need to alternate foot placements and “walk” up the wall in small steps. With a wide, splayed stance, shifting between legs is cumbersome. When weighted, moving a foot requires “hopping” it up the wall to the next foothold. That’s inefficient and unaesthetic. (Think about cross-country skiing. If the tracks were set three feet apart, the skier would feel stable. But it would compromise forward movement. It would be difficult, slow, and horrible to watch.) Yes, yes, I know… On [thin near-vertical climbs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6floyyDP-w&t=1m16s&ref=scottsemple.com), parallel frog-style foot placements may be helpful. So like hand-jamming, use the technique where it’s an advantage. Don’t make your climbing harder by using it everywhere. ## Stand on the tip of your big toe [My friend Simon](https://www.instagram.com/p/BzBnBdvDeqT/?ref=scottsemple.com) has incredible footwork. He’s so precise that his shoes always wear out in exactly the same place. A pea-sized hole forms on the bottom of the shoe, right under the tip of his big toe. When he was a kid, his coach would have him pull onto the wall, placing his feet with precision. Then step off and do it again. And again. And again. Today, he has almost [prehensile](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehensility?ref=scottsemple.com) control of his feet. His foot placements are always right on the tip of his big toe and exactly where he wants them to be. It allows him to pull into the wall and pivot side to side. ## Toe! Toe! Hips! Hands! Plan! Instead of deliberate movement, most climbers use “Plod. Plod. Pull! Panic!” Bad footwork leads to a spastic pull and then a frantic look upward. It wastes energy and increases stress. Using a more measured movement will work much better. Here’s a drill that puts it all together: toe, toe, hips, hands, plan. Use a route several grades below your onsight level. To start, put your hands on the wall and look at your next handhold. Ask yourself, “How far away is it? Which hand will be reaching? Which hand will be pulling?” Then: 1. **Toe!** Look for your first foothold. If you’re going to pull with your left hand, then your right foot is the most important. Put your foot as close to the lookhold as possible; 2. **Toe!** Place your opposite foot in a natural helpful location. Think “outrigger”; 3. **Hips!** Move up in a wave. Pull in with your feet, push up with your legs, and pull with *both* arms until your hips press against the wall. 4. **Hands!** But don’t reach too soon. Make sure *both* arms are pulling together and have exhausted their pull. When focused on the next hold, the pulling hand gets forgotten. It often has more to give. Let the momentum that started in your feet continue right through your body; then 5. **Plan!** Grab the next hold and relax. Use the least amount of pressure to hang on. Then take a moment and plan your next move. Where is the next hold? (Know before you go.) How much higher is it? (That’s how much higher your next foothold needs to be.) Where is it relative to your centerline? (That’s how much sideways movement you’ll need.) 6. Repeat. --- 1. Duration and intensity are always relative to the goal event. ARC sessions are “long” and “low-intensity” compared to the intensity required for onsighting and redpointing hard rock climbs. From a general endurance perspective (for running, skiing, etc), ARC sessions are short (20′) and hard (just below anaerobic threshold). For general endurance, use such workouts sparingly. [↩](#fnref-316642-1) ### VO2 Max: A 14-year retrospective URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/vo2-max-a-14-year-retrospective/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:03:22.000Z In 2005, I went with three friends to get our first VO2 max tests. I didn’t know what the results meant. But fourteen years later, that first test is a good benchmark, and I can make some unfortunate conclusions. When compared to two more tests that bracket six years of [heavy skimo training](https://www.scottsemple.com/skimo-training-progress/), it’s clear that I was very undertrained in my 30s. First, some geekery. As you can see from the chart below, between 2005 (at age 31), 2013 (at age 39), and 2019 (at age 45): - My aerobic, anaerobic, and VO2 max threshold heart rates changed by <1%; - My absolute VO2 max declined by 11% and then increased by 4.6%. It’s now 7% below my 2005 value; - My anaerobic threshold pace declined by 6.9% and then increased by 21%. My 2019 AnT pace is 12.4% above 2005; and - My aerobic threshold pace declined by 9.3% and then rebounded by 27%. My 2019 AeT pace is 15.5% above 2005. ![A chart showing the changes in thresholds after 14 years and across three VO2 max tests](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Changes-in-Age-vs-VO2-and-Speed.png?ssl=1) I had VO2 max tests done in 2005, 2013, and 2019\. Before 2005, I was doing a lot of regular but unstructured ice and alpine climbing. Between 2005 and 2010, I was running a wholesale business and sport climbing. Between 2010 and 2013, I did nothing, working for a software company and sitting all day. Between 2013 and 2019, I studied endurance training and competed in skimo racing. In 2019, I attended the ISMF World Championships as a member of the Canadian National Team. ## What do these tests mean? While looking at the chart and thinking about my training history, I can make a few conclusions: ### Changes in heart rate are low-hanging fruit Despite several active years, my threshold heart rates haven’t changed. On my first VO2 test, my aerobic and anaerobic threshold heart rates were within 5% of each other. Today, they’re just under. I suspect that changes in threshold heart rates are an early stage change. Typical of early stage changes, they may be quick, but not significant in the long-term. Any improvement likely happened between 1999 and 2005 when I was ice and alpine climbing. ### I undertrained in my 30s I had significant demands on my time in my thirties. I was running a business and starting a family. Sport climbing was the easiest thing to fit in. I never [rock climbed](https://www.scottsemple.com/is-5-11-the-junk-zone-of-rock-climbing/) better, but it didn’t do much for my aerobic fitness. Between 2010 and 2013, I was even busier. I didn’t do anything physical for three years. ### Proper endurance training increases aerobic capacity The increases in threshold paces came via a thorough education in endurance training. My friend [Scott Johnston](https://evokeendurance.com/coaches/scott-johnston/?ref=scottsemple.com) answered hundreds of questions and gave me lots of good advice. He told me what books to read. That knowledge was a huge help when setting up my training program. In particular, I made several [changes to my training program in 2018](https://www.scottsemple.com/planning-a-training-season/). That allowed for a much greater training volume which allowed for a lot more intensity. I suspect that the biggest increase in my threshold paces happened that year. ![A chart of annual training volume in hours and elevation gain](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Annual-training-volumes.png?ssl=1) Annual training volume: The years noted represent the competitive season. For training, those years started in the preceding April and ending in March of the year listed. My annual training was philosophically correct, but unfortunately inconsistent. The last three years were the most productive with a noticeable volume increase for 2019\. My volume peaked at 736 hours and just under 229,000 vertical meters. ### VO2 max isn’t a big factor in performance Between 2013 and 2019, my threshold paces increased by significant amounts. My increase in VO2max was much less. For a long time, physiologists have known that [VO2max isn’t the best predictor of performance](https://www.scienceofrunning.com/2009/12/fallacy-of-vo2max-and-vo2max.html?ref=scottsemple.com). But the popular press won’t give it up. It’s a [sticky idea](https://heathbrothers.com/books/made-to-stick/?ref=scottsemple.com) that’s easy to grasp. Much easier than the complexity of endurance training. Not only did my VO2 not change that much, but it was never world-class to begin with. ### …unless the relationship between VO2 max and threshold paces is non-linear Could it be the case that a 1% increase in VO2 max equals a \~5% increase in anaerobic threshold and a \~6% increase in aerobic? If that relationship holds, then it would explain the pace changes that I’ve had in the last six years. But… if I had trained in my 30s, and my VO2 max was 7% higher, would my anaerobic threshold pace have been 35% faster than it is today? And my aerobic threshold pace, 42% faster? I have no idea, but I doubt it. Those increases seem too good to be true. ## What now? I’ve finished my short-course skimo experiment. It’s not something that I want to repeat, especially something like this past season. Staying fast over three months of races is exhausting. Not only physically; the mental fatigue is huge. But [loss aversion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss%5Faversion?ref=scottsemple.com) is a powerful force. I have a lot of training knowledge, and I’m 45\. The knowledge won’t decay, but my potential will. I have, at best, another five years where I might make gains. Then an age-related decline in endurance is almost certain. I’m sure the gains that I could make now are quite marginal. I doubt I could spend the next five years training and add another \~20+ percent to my threshold paces. If improvements occur, they’ll likely be in the low single digits. Are marginal gains worth the significant training volume required? That’s the question that I need to answer. More important than any increases in speed, I need to decide what to apply them to. Without an inspiring pursuit, I wouldn’t be able to sustain the motivation to make those gains. [Long-course skimo racing](https://www.pierramenta.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) is appealing, as is cycling and getting back to climbing. However, I couldn’t ask for three more conflicting sports… Maybe an impossible balancing act will be the next challenge. ### Is 5.11 the junk zone of rock climbing? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/is-5-11-the-junk-zone-of-rock-climbing/ Last updated: 2022-03-28T16:20:52.000Z *Between 2005 and 2010, I focused on sport climbing. I redpointed 13c and flashed 12c. A key part of my progress was avoiding 5.11.* When I was sport climbing, I learned a lot from my friends Jay Audenart and [Simon Villeneuve](https://www.instagram.com/p/BoUKvTvDUQl/?ref=scottsemple.com). Simon in particular has a fun, irreverent attitude that has helped him climb V10 and 13d. > “5.11? Skip it,” Simon said. “It’s hard enough to be tiring, but not hard enough to improve.” Skip 5.11? Sacrilege, right? But sacrilege is usually a good thing. ## But first, what is a junk zone? A junk zone is an intensity level that is hard enough to be fatiguing, but not hard enough to trigger significant improvement. In endurance training, “the junk zone” (aka. Zone 3) lies between the aerobic and anaerobic thresholds. It’s often described as “the black hole” intensity. It’s where fitness goes to die. It’s also the most popular. Zone 3 feels like work. Non-athletes gravitate toward it, going by feel. They assume that it’ll improve their fitness, or worse, “it helps burn fat”. It does neither. In a good endurance program, Zone 3 plays an important role, but only for a small part of annual training hours. For professionals, Zone 3 training is often only 2-3% of their program. For recreationists, it’s the only program. Too much Zone 3 will [destroy aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-destroy-aerobic-capacity/), but it’s seductive. Most fitness fads build their businesses on it. It’s hard enough to feel worthwhile, but not hard enough to be a strong stimulus for improvement. It’s gratifying, but when overdone, detrimental. Just like 5.11. 5.11 feels like work and makes you tired. But it’s not hard enough to demand good technique or to develop real power. As a result, 5.11 tires us out without teaching us much. ## How do you “skip” 5.11? I’m back in the saddle after a 10-year hiatus from rock climbing. I’m starting over, eating humble pie, and building [aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-capacity-when-can-i-stop/) with lots of 5.10. My rule of thumb is that 5.11 is only for onsighting, not projecting. After I onsight a few 11a’s, I’ll start projecting 12a. 5.11 is the perfect onsight grade because there are so many holds. A grab-and-go approach works well for routes with so many options. But that advantage becomes a disadvantage if a climber spends a lot of time there. Higher grades force specific technique. They demand more strength, more power, more precision. And after a few 11a onsights, a climber is more than ready to spend a few days working a first 5.12. So, 5.11? Skip it! ### Functional Mysophobia: Crazy Ways to Stay Healthy URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/functional-mysophobia-crazy-ways-to-stay-healthy/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T15:52:58.000Z Originally published [at Uphill Athlete](https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/avoid-sick-illness-training-healthy/?ref=scottsemple.com) in February 2019. For endurance athletes, staying healthy while training represents more money in the fitness bank. Imagine that for every day you were sick, you had to dig into your savings and pay your employer two and a half days of income: - Five days off would cost you 13 days’ income; - Seven days off would cost you 18 days’ income; - Two weeks off would cost you 35 days’ income. If sick days cost you money, would that change how you interact with people? How much more cautious would you be about getting sick? > “Also known as germophobia, mysophobia is a pathological fear of contamination and germs.” > —Wikipedia Suddenly, what is normally an irrational fear becomes very, very rational. This is the harsh reality for endurance athletes. > “Whenever the athlete stops training, a 'detraining' process sets in, inducing a relatively rapid loss of the acquired adaptation. For example, half the increase in mitochondria from 5 weeks of training may be lost in 1 week of detraining. Since the number of mitochondria substantially determines the endurance capacity of the \[athlete\], it is obvious that the loss of one week of training will have a marked effect on the endurance. > —Jan Olbrecht, The Science of Winning, p. 8 So for every unplanned rest day, you lose two and a half days of mitochondria. That sucks. ## The best defence I spent the first four years of my skimo training in an up-and-down battle with illness. I’d build up two or three months of training and start feeling really fit. Then I’d get sick and spend two or three weeks on the couch, losing up to two months of training. Once recovered, I’d have to start the slow, tedious climb back up. In January 2018, I resolved to be smarter about avoiding illness. If my friends and family thought I was crazy, so be it. I was sick and tired of watching months of hard work go down the drain. I decided that I would approach illness like a crazy person. The solution was what I call “functional mysophobia“: an intentional avoidance of illness that is on par with someone irrationally afraid of germs. I would become a mysophobe. And it worked. I didn’t have an unplanned rest day for 425 days. It was working so well that I was getting superstitious. I didn’t want to write or talk about it in case I jinxed it. But now that I have a runny nose and a cough, I can tell you about it. ## Staying healthy while training There are four keys to managing risk: probability, consequence, exposure, and vulnerability. When thinking about risk, most people never get past probability, and they make a lot of bad decisions because of it. When you look at all four factors, it becomes a powerful defensive tool: - Probability: What’s the chance that I’ll get sick (given my life and lifestyle)? - Consequence: What happens if I get sick? What will I lose? - Exposure: How can I decrease the presence of the threat? - Vulnerability: How can I increase my resistance to the threat? Your own probability of infection and its consequences are individual and easy to figure out. With school-age kids and intermittent life stress, I was dealing with a probability of “near certainty” and a consequence of “big-time suckage.” Here are the tools that I used to manage exposure (the things outside of me) and vulnerability (the things inside me). ![](https://uphillathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/mysophobia-IMG_20181129_084427-e1549930465933-1024x577-1.jpg) Ben Firth approaching Surprise Pass near Lake Louise, Alberta. ## Decreasing your exposure to germs You want to avoid any controllable circumstances where there may be an increase in the number of germs in your immediate environment. Decreasing exposure comes down to two key areas: - Being wary of airflow; and - Avoiding communal control surfaces. ### Be wary of airflow They say a single cough can expel 3,000 infected droplets at 50 miles per hour (mph). A sneeze? 40,000 droplets at 200 mph. > “...smaller and lighter particles are less affected by gravity and can stay airborne almost indefinitely as they are caught up in and dispersed by the room's airflow.”Live Science, "The Gross Science of a Cough and a Sneeze" So think of air as water, and position yourself accordingly. #### **Stay upwind from people.** Staying upwind will carry your germs to them, but not the reverse. #### **Mind the wake.** When passing someone in a hallway or on a hiking trail, if they show any sign of illness, inhale just before you pass them, and exhale as late as possible. #### **Avoid unhealthy people (and their plumes of illness).** The less you’re around sick people, the lower the chance of inhaling their illness. In general, that means obvious sick people, kids (especially in groups), childcare workers, the elderly, and sedentary people. Probably the safest place to be is training outside; unhealthy people don’t exercise and obsessive exercisers usually prefer booty classes. #### **Avoid enclosures.** Enclosures can be a double whammy because you could end up in someone else’s germ cloud and sitting right beside them. Things like cars and gondolas are especially dicey. On a gondola, in particular, try and get your own car, and open the windows to air it out from the previous party. ### Be wary of communal control surfaces ![](https://uphillathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/mysophobia-IMG_20191024_155349-scaled-1-1024x1024.jpg) Guess where the germs are... Be a lefty. A communal control surface is anything that multiple people use to control something else. This includes things like light switches, remote controls (especially in hotels), door handles, steering wheels, grocery carts, gas pumps, etc. (Once you’re a functional mysophobe, you’ll be amazed to see how everyone uses these things without any thought as to who used them before…) In general, try not to use these surfaces. But if you must, wipe them down or use some type of barrier to manipulate them. #### **Use your elbows as much as possible.** Try this: Wipe your eye with your elbow. Can’t do it, right? Whenever possible, use your elbow to flick things like light switches. It’s impossible for your elbow to get near your eyes and nose, so it’s a great biomechanical barrier. #### **When elbows won’t work, use a knuckle.** Knuckles are especially useful for PIN pads. Can you imagine how many fingers use those things every day? #### **When an elbow or knuckle won’t work, use a barrier.** A barrier could be a tissue, the end of your sleeve on your dominant hand, or the hem of your shirt. #### **Even with elbows, knuckles, and barriers, always contact the surface using the most unergonomic area.** Good news: 99.9 percent of people are going to touch a control surface without even thinking about it. That means that they’ll all grab the same convenient spot. That’s a win because you and the other crazies can use the most uncomfortable part and reduce your exposure even more. - For door handles, reach lower or wider than most, or if possible, don’t use the handle at all. - If no door handle, use your lower arm or hip to push the door. - At a magazine rack, pick a copy from deep in the stack, never the top copy. - Take the stairs. Unhealthy people prefer elevators. #### **Travel with your own pen.** You never leave home without your keys, phone, and wallet, right? Add a pen to your list of key tools. #### **Always carry hand sanitizer.** Ditto for hand sanitizer. Keys, wallet, phone, pen, hand sanitizer. An added bonus is that you can offer it to people, protecting them and you at the same time. #### **If sanitizer is provided, use it.** This is especially helpful at grocery stores. Grab the wipes and wipe down the cart handle. #### **Never ever touch your eyes or nose directly.** Runny nose? Sniff until you can find a tissue. Goopy eye? Use the inside of your collar. Never use your bare hand. Another possible—but dicey—option is the sleeve of your nondominant hand. (Remember, your dominant sleeve is for control surfaces.) #### Be left-handed Most people are right-handed and will grab the right-favored control surface. When there’s a left-hand option, use it. #### **Most importantly, wash your hands obsessively.** Build a new habit of incessant handwashing after anything that may have contaminated them: door handles, tissue, sneezes, etc. ![](https://uphillathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/mysophobia-IMG_20181129_102642-e1549931211662.jpg) Ben Firth approaching Surprise Pass near Lake Louise, Alberta. ## Reduce your vulnerability The only time you should give it your all is on race day. Otherwise, hedge your bets. [Never bet your whole roll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly%5Fcriterion?ref=scottsemple.com). Always have some energy in reserve that your body can use to fight off illness. There are two parts to reducing vulnerability: staying healthy and playing defense. ### Staying Healthy #### **Sleep as much as possible.** The less you sleep, the more likely you are to catch a cold. This year I made sleep a big priority, and I think it’s one of the biggest contributors to my improvement. I try to sleep at least 8 hours per night, and 20 minutes per afternoon. I prioritize sleep above everything else. #### **If you have a crappy sleep, change your training plan.** One crappy night usually doesn’t make a difference. But if I have consecutive bad nights of sleep, I back off on my training and have easy days until my sleep is restored. #### **Eat a healthy diet.** Make sure your diet is giving you the nutrients you need to support your training load and defend you against illness. If necessary, take legitimate supplements. (I’m not a nutritionist, but I’ve read that probiotics, vitamin D, and zinc all support the immune system.) #### **Fuel for the work required.** Make sure that your calorie intake is sufficient to support your training load. It’s important to watch your weight, especially for uphill athletes, but combining heavy training loads with calorie restriction is a recipe for disaster. #### **Train less than you’re capable of.** It took my thick skull a long time to clue into this: Your training will never go according to plan. You’re going to get curveballs. You need some slack in the system to deal with the unforeseen. Save the “see God” moments for when you need them: in races or pushing for the summit. You rarely need them in training. #### **Avoid stress.** Stress is nasty. Just as you never want to train to the limit, you never want to think or feel to it either. Always have something in reserve to deal with the unexpected. ###### **Avoid alcohol.** Alcohol can weaken the immune system for hours and days after ingestion. And it negatively impacts sleep. The relatively brief gratification of drinking doesn’t outweigh the increase in risk. ### Playing Defense No matter how diligent you are, you may still catch something. At the first sign of symptoms, either in yourself or those you live with, you need to change your game. You need to switch from building fitness to protecting fitness. #### **Sleep, eat, repeat.** If you have any symptoms, you can be sure that your body is fighting something. Sleeping and eating will support your defenses. #### **Train less.** Adjust your training plan. Back off and go into maintenance mode until the threat has passed. Keep that money in the bank. It’s much easier to make up for lost training from an unplanned taper than it is from an unplanned illness. #### **Avoid intensity.** Postpone any intensity sessions until you’re fully recovered. Adding intensity onto a struggling immune system will only make things worse. #### **Avoid fasted sessions.** Glycogen depletion is an important tool in aerobic development, but it also compromises immunity. Avoid depleted training alongside any symptoms that you or a family member develop. #### **Mind the trend.** As you sleep more, eat more, and train less, do your symptoms improve? If so, continue cautiously. If not, back off even more. ## Welcome to La-La Land Yep, now you cray-cray. I started this crazy exercise last January (of 2018). After 425 days of uninterrupted training, I’m fitter and faster than I’ve ever been. I’ve trained at record volumes and intensities. My race results this year are my best ever. And acting like a crazy person for a year was a key component. I highly recommend it. Your friends and family are sure to notice your craziness. If they voice any concerns about your newfound mysophobia, just ask them: “If you had to pay me $300 for every day that I got sick, would you still think I’m crazy?” ### How to calibrate a treadmill URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-calibrate-a-treadmill/ Last updated: 2024-10-10T10:58:10.000Z *I recently discovered that my treadmill doesn’t report its actual speed. At first, I was disappointed. Then I calibrated the machine and found that it under-reports its speed. Phew!* The other day at the gym, I warmed up on a treadmill that I had used many times in the past. The speeds that I set the treadmill at were the same that I use at home, but they felt much easier. Self-serving bias kicked in, and I assumed that my training must be working. But my growing distrust of gut reactions made me wonder: > “Although the displayed speeds are the same, what if the actual speeds are different?” ## Calibrating a treadmill To find out, I measured each treadmill’s belt and then timed 100 revolutions. A hundred revolutions seemed like enough for the calibration to be reasonably accurate. Here’s how to calculate the actual speed in kilometers per hour: > \[Belt length in meters\] x 100 > / \[Time in minutes\] > x 60 > / 1,000 Here’s how to calculate the percentage difference in speed between the track and the display: > \[Actual speed\] / \[Displayed speed\] ## Which treadmill is more accurate?[1](#fn-316405-1) At home, I have a NordicTrack Incline Trainer. The gym I go to has a Woodway 4Front. ### NordicTrack Incline Trainer: FAIL At flat grades, the NordicTrack has consistent speeds. The track usually runs within 1% of the displayed speed. But at an incline, it has sudden and noticeable changes in speed, especially at grades over 25%. It feels like the belt slips. Or it’s computer-regulated and the algorithm sucks. Either way, it’s common for the speed to change a lot. The worst performance is when inclining the treadmill before running the track. Here’s a typical calibration for my NordicTrack: Belt length: 128.5″ (3.2639m) Speed at “3.2 kmh”: > 3.2639m x 100 = 326.39 > / 5.14583′ = 63.43 m/min > \* 60 = 3,805.68 m/hr > / 1000 = 3.81 kmh And the percentage difference from the displayed speed: > 3.806 / 3.2 x 100 = 118.9% ### Woodway 4Front: PASS In contrast with the NordicTrack, whether the Woodway is at a flat or steep grade, the speeds are reliable: Belt length: 3.6m Speed at “3.2 kmh”: > 3.6m x 100 = 360m > / 6’44.54″ = 53.39 m/min > \* 60 = 3,203.64 m/hr > \= 3.204 kmh > / 3.2 x 100 = 100.11% And at that close a ratio, the difference could be from the inaccuracy of my measurements. ## Under-promise and over-deliver When I first realized that my treadmill was lying to me, I was bummed. I assumed the worst, that my training was not going the way that I thought. But actually, the opposite is true. It’s ridiculous that the NordicTrack is so inaccurate. But it’s gratifying to know that the speeds are *under*\-represented rather than over-. I’d rather be training faster than I thought than slower. --- 1. If you want a treadmill, and if you can afford a Woodway, I recommend buying one over a NordicTrack. The NordicTrack has a lot of bells and whistles. And for people that hate exercise, being able to watch YouTube is probably welcome. But for athletes that rely on accurate metrics, the Woodway is much, much better. [↩](#fnref-316405-1) ### Don't fill the bowl URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/dont-fill-the-bowl/ Last updated: 2022-03-28T16:20:14.000Z *When I “fill the bowl”, life is too jam-packed. Everything in the bowl competes for space. When the unexpected happens, the important things suffer. The solution? Don’t fill the bowl.* ## — Most mornings, I eat eggs with lentils, bruschetta, and hot sauce. This morning was no different, but all our cereal-size bowls were dirty. I grabbed a smaller desert bowl and heaped in the same contents. It didn’t work very well. The bowl was full, so it was near impossible to mix the ingredients, or eat them, without spilling. ## When the bowl is full The full bowl and the near-miss mess reminded me of my life management in years past. Being a type-A tweaker, I’m often tempted to cram in as much as I can. My default thinking is that it will make me more productive. I’ll be able to get more done in the same amount of time or with the same amount of effort. But it never works out that way. Whatever I crammed into the life bowl in the past had to compete for space with everything else. Nothing was at the level it could have been. Or worse (and often) something would break down. My training would often suffer because I was trying to do too much alongside it. ## When the bowl isn’t full This year is different. Unlike the past, I’ve put less in my “life bowl”, allowing more space for training and a margin for the unexpected. It’s like a [margin of safety](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marginofsafety.asp?ref=scottsemple.com) in [value investing](https://www.50centdollars.com/?ref=scottsemple.com). The extra space in my bowl can absorb any unforeseen demands. The result is that my main priorities (my family and my training) are better served. They don’t have to compete for space, ever. So far, it’s worked well. My training volume is up 60% over last year. With that bigger base, I can tolerate more high-intensity training than I’ve ever done before. With a solid base and more intensity, my race performance should improve this season. ## Don’t fill the bowl I’m not sure what I’ll pursue after skimo racing, but whatever it is, I hope I’ll remember to give it lots of space. I’ll [plan on one pursuit](https://www.scottsemple.com/planning-a-training-season/), and I won’t “fill the bowl” with anything less important. That’ll give me the best chance of performing to the best of my ability. ### Should WHOOP be called WHOOPs? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/should-whoop-be-called-whoops/ Last updated: 2025-07-04T18:39:29.000Z The WHOOP is a 24-hour activity tracker marketed to athletes. It purports to quantify “strain” and recovery. As it observes increased strain, it prescribes increased recovery. In theory, it’s a great idea. > “In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.” > \~ [Benjamin Brewster](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/04/14/theory/?ref=redlinealpine.com) ## Working Out with a WHOOP For each workout with the WHOOP, I also wore a chest-strap heart rate monitor. The chest strap was a Garmin HRM-Run and I recorded the data with a Garmin Fenix 2\. I wanted to compare the WHOOP data to data from a traditional heart rate strap. ### Test Workouts Here’s a breakdown of the workouts I did and what each device recorded: | Duration & % Max HR | Avg HR | Max HR | Calories | RPE | | ------------------- | ------ | ------ | -------- | -------------------- | | **\~2h <= 70%** | | | | | | Garmin | 133 | 150 | 643 | Self: Easy | | WHOOP | 135 | 169 | 1699 | WHOOP: "Significant" | | **\~2h <= 60%** | | | | | | Garmin | 123 | 145 | 457 | Self: Very Easy | | WHOOP | 136 | 176 | 1664 | WHOOP: "Significant" | | **\~90' 65-90%** | | | | | | Garmin | 140 | 188 | 615 | Self: Moderate | | WHOOP | 120 | 165 | 966 | WHOOP: "Reasonable" | | **\~60' 65%-90%** | | | | | | Garmin | 139 | 189 | 255 | Self: Hard | | WHOOP | 134 | 186 | 766 | WHOOP: "Reasonable" | As you can see, WHOOP’s accuracy–the average heart rate–is okay in all but the third workout. But its precision (gauged by maximum heart rate and stochasticity in the charts below) is horrible. ### Heart Rate Recordings Next up, here are the comparative heart rate recordings for the last three of the workouts above. (The first workout’s recordings are both too stochastic to compare.) #### A Very Easy Recovery Session ![Annotated screenshots of a Whoop versus a proper (chest strap) heart rate monitor](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/06/Whoop-vs-Fenix.webp) On the left is the WHOOP data. It's incredibly stochastic (i.e. jagged) and the calories are grossly overestimated. On the right is the Fenix data. It's fairly stable, similar to the workout, and the calorie estimate is in line with the perceived effort (which was very low). #### An Aerobic Capacity Lactate Test ![Annotated screenshots of the heart rate recordings. The chest strap heart rate monitor reflects the actual output and structure of the test while the Whoop data barely resembles it.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/06/AeC-Test-with-Whoop-Fenix-iFit.webp) The blue line is the WHOOP heart rate data. The red line is the data from a NordicTrack iFit heart rate strap recorded by a Garmin Fenix 2\. The Garmin data makes it clear that the test was a step-test of increasing intensity. No such interpretation is possible with the WHOOP data. #### An Anaerobic Capacity Lactate Test Note that accuracy and precision improve in the last workout. Is there hope? Not unless you want to wear the WHOOP as a [sleeve garter](https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+a+sleeve+garter&rlz=1C1CHBF%5FenCA815CA815&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwig8PjoksrdAhXnCTQIHWGXDnkQ%5FAUIDigB&biw=1368&bih=841). ![An overlaid comparison of the heart rate data. Better, but the Whoop similarity to the test still badly lags the chest strap heart rate monitor.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/06/AnC-Test-with-Whoop-Fenix-iFit.webp) As above, the blue line is the WHOOP data; the red, the Fenix and iFit strap. Here, the WHOOP precision has improved due to changing the location of the device. Rather than wear it on my wrist, I positioned the monitor above my elbow over my brachial artery. However, it's neither comfortable nor practical to wear it there 24 hours a day. The precision improved because I changed the location of the WHOOP. Instead of on my wrist, I wore it on my arm just above my elbow with the sensor on top of my brachial artery. It’s not the most comfortable location, and wearing it there isn’t something that I would do 24 hours a day. #### Automatic Activity Tracking Lastly, here’s an instance of the WHOOP’s automatic activity tracking. The WHOOP thought that this 38-minute period from Tuesday afternoon was worth tracking. It says that my heart rate averaged 110 bpm (52% of maximum) with a peak heart rate of 166 (79% of maximum). ![Another heart rate tracking instance by Whoop, but this time, spontaneously tracking some house cleaning and reporting impossibly high heart rates.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/06/Cleaning-the-house-with-Whoop.webp) The WHOOP spontaneously recorded an activity while I was cleaning the house. Based on experience, it's highly unlikely that my average heart rate was 110 bpm with a peak of 166... The only problem? That period was 38 minutes of house cleaning. I didn’t wear my chest-strap monitor to compare. Why would I? The chance of me having those heart rates while I clean the house is highly unlikely. ## The Biggest Problems with WHOOP ### Heart rate readings are roughly accurate but horribly imprecise. The average heart rates that the WHOOP records are usually within a few beats of what my chest-strap monitor records. That’s accurate enough. But the precision (how narrow the range of the recording is) is so horrible that the overall intensity of activities is way off the mark. ([Click here to read more on accuracy versus precision](https://www.scottsemple.com/training-on-a-treadmill-accuracy-versus-precision/).) The first two workouts were easy recovery sessions. They were so slow that I had to concentrate to stay within the desired zone. Yet WHOOP described each of them as “significant cardiovascular load”. The second two workouts were [lactate tests](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-1-where-am-i-starting-from/), aerobic and anaerobic respectively. Whoop described both as “reasonable, enough to make you stronger, not enough to burn you out”. But doing a near-maximal and a maximal test every day would be sure to burn anybody out. For the [aerobic lactate test](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/), I had both the WHOOP and Fenix heart rates displayed in front of me. During my warm up, the WHOOP was reading a heart rate *30 beats higher* throughout. That’s crazy. In addition, when the heart rates displayed were similar, the WHOOP took noticeably longer to get to the same number. There’s always a lag between output and heart rate, but the lag for the WHOOP was considerably longer. The longer the lag, the harder it is to train precisely. ### The WHOOP has no options for personalized thresholds. Heart rates are like fingerprints. Everyone is unique, and proper training needs to allow for that individual variation. All the heart rate software that I’ve ever used has personalization options to account for this. In most cases, a user can enter an anaerobic threshold heart rate or, at the very least, a maximum heart rate. WHOOP doesn’t allow for any personalization at all which makes it of very questionable use for serious athletes. ![A screenshot of Whoop’s generic intensity zones that no trained athlete would find useful.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/06/Whoop-zones-for-recovery-workout.webp) This is a breakdown of the intensity zones that WHOOP uses and what it detected during a \~2-hour recovery ski. The actual HR intensity was < 60% of maximum, but WHOOP detected a "significant cardiovascular load". In addition to its data being useless, it uses generic zones that are of no use to a trained athlete. Without thresholds, the “strain” metrics that WHOOP calculates will be off the mark. For athletes with higher than average heart rates, WHOOP will overestimate the strain. For those with lower than average heart rates, WHOOP will underestimate the strain. That’s a big problem. High-heart-rate athletes will tend to undertrain. Low-heart-rate athletes will tend to overtrain. I’m in the former category, and WHOOP misjudged all four of my sessions. It overestimated the strain from my recovery sessions and underestimated my lactate tests. It’s strange for a device to market itself to athletes and not have customization options. It seems like an amateurish oversight. ### Wrist-based heart rate monitoring is unreliable. Whether its WHOOP or something else, optical heart rate monitors produce unreliable data. The heart rates recorded have wide swings in beats per minute, especially when worn on the wrist. > “The popularity of optical heart-rate monitors…is largely due to the convenience and low cost… \[D\]uring periods of physical activity, accurately estimating a heart rate using these devices remains challenging.” > \~ The Conversation, [*How reliable is your wearable heart-rate monitor?*](http://theconversation.com/how-reliable-is-your-wearable-heart-rate-monitor-98095?ref=redlinealpine.com) (June 19th, 2018) > “If you need to know your heart rate with accuracy when exercising…wrist-worn monitors are less accurate than the standard chest strap.” > \~ American College of Cardiology, [*Wrist-worn heart rate monitors less accurate than standard chest strap*](https://www.acc.org/about-acc/press-releases/2017/03/08/14/02/wrist-worn-heart-rate-monitors-less-accurate-than-standard-chest-strap?ref=redlinealpine.com) (March 8th, 2017) > “**…if you’re serious about your sport and data today, then steer clear of the wrist monitor.** It’s a great way for entry-level runners and fitness fans to take control of their plans, but for those using the data to train, it’s not up to the task.” > > \~ Wareable, [*Optical HR Accuracy: The experts speak*](https://www.wareable.com/sport/optical-heart-rate-tech-the-experts-speak-9763?ref=redlinealpine.com) (February 12th, 2016) I can’t imagine trying to train with a heart rate monitor that displayed numbers so widely varied. Hitting a target intensity would be next to impossible. Without that precision, a workout would be pointless. You’d miss the desired stimulus and get an unplanned, and perhaps undesirable, response. ## Should WHOOP be called WHOOPs? I had high hopes for the WHOOP. But with how expensive it is, the quality of its data should be much, much better. I can see now that the thing that WHOOP does better than the competition is [marketing](https://twitter.com/whoop?ref=redlinealpine.com) and [graphic design](https://medium.com/@oberhaeuser/the-whoop-story-or-four-requirements-for-an-awesome-designer-client-relationship-2491945d73d0?ref=redlinealpine.com). ### The Good News for WHOOP I assume that WHOOP’s business plan is to go after users that don’t require precision in their heart rate data. This could include people new to exercise, those whose activity is of low aerobic intensity (i.e. golf, yoga, etc), and those who only require a rough estimate of their output (i.e. team sports). If an average heart rate and a rough strain gauge are all that’s required, then WHOOP may be the right tool for the job. Most users won’t know what an anaerobic threshold is. Even worse, many athletes don’t know what an *aerobic* threshold is. That ignorance will work in WHOOP's favor. They can continue applying generic formulas to their user base. And then maybe Garmin will buy them, and it’ll be a win-win for everybody. Everybody except athletes that need [accurate and precise](https://www.scottsemple.com/training-on-a-treadmill-accuracy-versus-precision/) data. ### The Good News for Everyone Else I did see one positive behavioral change while using WHOOP. I started paying more attention to the amount of time in bed. WHOOP recommends how much sleep you need. And it also recommends how much time in bed you’ll need to get that amount of sleep. I never would have thought of using time in bed as a metric, but it works. In general, WHOOP recommended that I stay in bed for at least nine hours. Previously, when I woke up, I’d get up. But with the WHOOP, if I woke up too early, I would stay in bed, and often I’d fall back to sleep. That extra sleep always helped. That’s one lesson that I’m going to take with me: stay in bed longer. And the best part? It’s free. ### Lactate Test #5: Progress URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-5-progress/ Last updated: 2023-12-10T20:58:17.000Z On September 18th, I did my fifth lactate test for the season. As with previous tests, I did both the aerobic and anaerobic portions on the same day with a break and some food in between. ![A graph of results from my September lactate test](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/capacity-chart.png?ssl=1) In mid-September, I completed my fifth lactate capacity test of the season. The results are promising, showing improvements in both [aerobic and anaerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-capacity-when-can-i-stop/). (The dark red line is the most recent test. The other grey lines fade as the date of the other tests get older.) ## What does this lactate test show? ### Anaerobic capacity has increased In my last test, I used a pace of 3,000 mhr for the anaerobic test. I was just barely able to complete the 45″ interval. For this test however, I felt much stronger, although for not much longer. The first 30″ felt good; the last 15″, desperate. The result was an increase from 11 mM (in my last test) to 12.8 mM in this one. I’m happy with that result. An increase in anaerobic [capacity alongside an *apparent* increase in aerobic](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/) capacity is a sure sign that aerobic capacity has actually increased. [Anaerobic capacity pushes a lactate curve](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/) up and left. So if anaerobic capacity increases, but the curve still moves down and right, then aerobic capacity must have increased in greater proportion than the increase in anaerobic capacity. At first, it seems counter-intuitive, but aerobic and anaerobic capacities present relative to the strength of the other. ### Aerobic capacity has increased My heart rates are lower across the board at all intensities. That’s a good sign. For lactate, values below aerobic threshold are all lower, but I still have a curious “bench” between 1,100 and 1,200 mhr. Hopefully I can lower those values in the next six to twelve weeks. One thing to consider is the test protocol that I’ve been using. I’ve been using test stages of three minutes which may be too short. The other day, I talked to Jerry Cosgrove (from [www.lactate.com](http://www.lactate.com/?ref=scottsemple.com)). He said that test stages should be at least five minutes long to allow lactate levels to fully stabilize between readings. Stages shorter than that may produce higher-than-stable values. For my next test, I’m going to do fewer samples points and longer stages. For less than 900 mhr I may still use 3′ stages since those are consistently much lower than aerobic threshold. As such, I think it’s likely they’re stable values. ## What training led to this shift? Here’s a breakdown of the training that I’ve done between my fourth and fifth lactate tests: Modes: max strength, fasted sessions, slightly faster easy volume, faster aerobic threshold work, only one local muscular endurance session, 30-30 sessions at 130%/65% of \~2mM pace, and my first anaerobic bounce workout. - Volume versus intensity: - 95.3% <= of AeT HR (versus 98.5% before my last test); - \~66% <= 80% of AeT HR (versus \~68%). - Specificity: - \~23% of training time was on (roller) skis (versus \~29%); - 100% was weight-bearing (versus \~98%). ![Graphs of training distribution by heart rate](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/heart-rate-distribution.png?ssl=1) Training Distribution by Heart Rate Zone: The left-most graph is my training distribution for last season (2017/2018). The middle graph is the distribution for the current season (2018/2019). The right-most graph is the distribution between my previous test (on August 12th) up to the day before my most recent test (on September 18th). ![Charts of training distribution by session mode](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/mode-distribution.png?ssl=1) Training Distribution by Session Mode: The left-most graph is my training distribution for last season (2017/2018). The middle graph is the distribution for the current season (2018/2019). The right-most graph is the distribution between my previous test (on August 12th) up to the day before my most recent test (on September 18th). ## How does this influence the next training phase? Things are progressing well, so I’m going to keep on keeping on. I only have one more 30-30 session to complete the progression. After 30-30s, I’m going to focus on anaerobic bounce workouts to lower lactate values at my anaerobic threshold. That progression is eight workouts, one every 7-10 days, so it’ll take me well past my next test. On the endurance side, aerobic capacity workouts are increasing in speed from the low-90% of \~2mM paces to the high-90%. If things continue as they have, I should be well-positioned for my first race on December 8th. ### First Impressions: Whoop vs. Garmin URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/first-impressions-whoop-garmin/ Last updated: 2025-06-23T12:48:53.000Z This morning was my second workout with a Whoop on my wrist. In both cases, Whoop’s data is inaccurate and grossly overstates the intensity of the workouts. I recorded both sessions with the Whoop and a Garmin Fenix 2 with an HRM-Run chest strap. ![Two screenshots: one showing Whoop's erratic and inaccurate recording, the other showing a stable heart rate recorded by a proper heart rate monitor.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/06/Whoop-vs-Fenix-2.webp) Comparing the graphs reveals that Whoop is not precise enough for structured training. The workout was a recovery session with an average heart rate of less than 60% of maximum. Despite being crazy-easy, the errors in the Whoop data (and the lack of any customization options for heart rate zones or thresholds) had this workout classified as “more strenuous than 96% of all days across Whoop athletes.” If only that were true… I have unusually high heart rates at all intensities. This isn’t due to fitness or intensity, but stroke volume. It has to do with the size of the heart relative to body size. My heart is probably relatively smaller than average, so it beats faster to keep up. So without the option to correct for this, the Whoop software thinks I’m working harder than I am. It seems like an amateurish oversight on their part. In contrast, any other heart rate system I’ve used always allows the user to set personalized heart rate zones or, better yet, an anaerobic threshold. I was [tempted to try Whoop](https://www.scottsemple.com/should-whoop-change-its-name-to-whoops/) because they recently changed their revenue model from exorbitant to merely over-priced. If this continues, I’m hoping that their return policy is as good as their marketing and graphic design. ### Lactate Test #4: Stupid is as stupid does URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-4-stupid-is-as-stupid-does/ Last updated: 2023-12-10T20:58:46.000Z Over a month ago, I did my fourth lactate capacity test of the season. I did both the aerobic and anaerobic portions on the same day, albeit with a break and some food between them. Since my last test in early July, I’ve been doing a lot of [Local Muscular Endurance](https://www.scottsemple.com/skimo-training-progress/#local-muscular-endurance) (LME) training. I was keen to get the LME phase started because I’ve had good results from it in the past. But I should have realized that a dense LME schedule could increase anaerobic capacity. ![A graph of the results from my fourth lactate capacity test](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/4th-Test.png?ssl=1) In early August, I completed my fourth lactate capacity test of the season. The results are a bit disappointing, showing a shift in the curve up and to the left. (The dark red line is the most recent test. The other grey lines fade as the date of the test gets older.) ## What does this lactate test show? Being fast-twitch, I respond to high-intensity training fairly quickly. I have to slow the progression of high-intensity workouts so that I don’t overwhelm my aerobic system. I let my enthusiasm for LME get the better of my judgment, and it shows in my August test. My lactate curve shifted up and left. That shift is disappointing, but I backed off the LME training after I saw it. I reduced the number of high-intensity sessions from three per week to two, and only one of the sessions was LME. Instead of more LME, I added 30-30 intervals. (30-30s are 30″ on, 30″ off at 130% and 65% of aerobic threshold respectively.) The more relaxed progression of LME, the aerobic stimulus of the 30-30s, and more training volume at sub-aerobic threshold should push my curve back down and right. I hope… The one unknown from the test is the change in anaerobic capacity from \~13 to \~11 mM. At first glance, it looks like a decrease, and it may be: - The \~11 mM result came from an AFAP interval of 45″ at 3,000 mhr; while - The previous \~13 mM result came from a 90″ interval at 2,400 mhr. I could just barely complete the 45″ interval, so a 25% increase in speed may have been too much. However, I’ll stick with that speed for now so that future tests will be an apples-to-apples comparison. Unfortunately, I don’t know whether or not anaerobic capacity has increased or decreased. But based on my keener scheduling of LME, the shorter anaerobic capacity interval, and the curve shift up and left, I think there’s a good chance that it increased. ## What training led to this shift? Here’s a breakdown of the training that I’ve done between my third and fourth lactate tests: Modes: max strength, fasted sessions, super easy volume, faster aerobic work, lots of local muscular endurance - Volume versus intensity: - 98.5% <= of AeT HR (versus 99.7% before my second test); - \~68% <= 80% of AeT HR (versus \~64%). - Specificity: - \~29% of training time was on (roller) skis (versus \~25%); - \~98% was weight-bearing (versus \~97%). ![A graph of training volume by heart rate zones between my third and fourth lactate tests](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Between-3rd-and-4th-by-HR.png?ssl=1) Training Distribution by Heart Rate Zone: The left-most graph is my training distribution for last season (2017/2018). The middle graph is the distribution for the current season (2018/2019). The right-most graph is the distribution between my previous test (on July 2nd) up to the day before my most recent test (on August 12th). ![A graph of training volume by mode between my third and fourth lactate tests](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Between-3rd-and-4th-by-Volume.png?ssl=1) Training Distribution by Training Mode: The left-most graph is my training distribution for last season (2017/2018). The middle graph is the distribution for the current season (2018/2019). The right-most graph is the distribution between my previous test (on July 2nd) up to the day before my most recent test (on August 12th). ## How does this influence the next training phase? As mentioned, when I saw the up-and-left shift, I backed off on high-intensity in general, LME training in particular, and I added 30-30s. Hopefully that will do as I suspect and shift my curve back down and right. (Due to summer vacation and the kids being out of school, I didn’t do as good a job with my notes for the August test. My next lactate test is this week, so I’ll try and be more conscientious.) The one change that I’m going to make is to increase the pace of my recovery workouts. This isn’t much of a difference in intensity (from “super easy” to “easy”), but it’s time to start increasing the pace in general. In general, it feels like things are going well. Times on benchmark aerobic workouts are dropping. That’s always a good sign. ### Training on a treadmill: Accuracy versus precision URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/training-on-a-treadmill-accuracy-versus-precision/ Last updated: 2021-05-02T13:56:18.000Z *In early 2018, I bought a treadmill. Training on a treadmill sounds horrible to most–and for long, steady sessions it is–but for high-intensity training, it’s perfect.* Yesterday, I wrote about the big impact that gradient has on climb rates. While writing, I looked online for an angle-to-gradient calculator. I also came across a description of the difference between accuracy and precision: > Accuracy refers to how close measurements are to the “true” value… precision refers to how close measurements are to each other. > \~ [The Minitab Blog](http://blog.minitab.com/blog/real-world-quality-improvement/accuracy-vs-precision-whats-the-difference?ref=scottsemple.com) For example, in shooting, accuracy would be how close each shot is to the bullseye. Precision would be how tight the grouping is of a series of shots: ![A diagram of targets with samples of accurate versus precise results](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Accuracy-and-precision.png?ssl=1) When training by heart rate, accuracy would be how close the average session heart rate is to the target heart rate. Precision would be how wide the variation is between the minimum and maximum. With a session target of 150 bpm, two athletes could have the same average–let’s say, 145–but very different precision if one athlete’s min/max was 140/150 and the second athlete’s was 125/165. ## What does this have to do with training on a treadmill? I bought a treadmill because I wanted my high-intensity training to be both accurate *and* precise. ### Below aerobic threshold[1](#fn-202021-1), training by heart rate is useful. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty accurate and pretty precise. In that range, the results of workouts will be repeatable. ### Between aerobic threshold and anaerobic threshold[2](#fn-202021-2), training by heart rate is *less* useful. It’s both less accurate and less precise. The work periods are shorter, and heart rate takes time to adjust. The lag in heart rate makes workouts between AeT and AnT a tricky business. ### Training by heart rate over anaerobic threshold is useless. In well-trained athletes, an anaerobic threshold heart rate can be over 90% of maximum. Metabolic loads during a workout could be 1-8x what they are at anaerobic threshold. Muscular loads could be 1-4x, maybe more. Heart rate doesn’t have the range to reflect those intensities. Even if it did, heart rate lag takes too long to adjust. Above anaerobic threshold, work periods can be short enough that the work is over before heart rate has even changed at all. For example: - If AnT HR is 180 and maximum is 200; and - A short 10-second load is 4x AnT pace; - Is heart rate going to jump to 4x 180 (720 bpm)? No, of course not. And in reality, heart rate won’t even change during the work period. It’ll increase during the recovery. So training by heart rate above anaerobic threshold is neither accurate nor precise. [We hates that](https://youtu.be/r1SluSC5JtE?ref=scottsemple.com). That’s why I bought a treadmill. ## But why a treadmill? Why not just use pace outside? Pace works well for runners on a flat course. But the angle of terrain for mountain athletes is constantly changing. As it does, so does the level of output. With a long enough interval, the average effort could be accurate enough. But even [small changes in terrain create big changes in climb rates](http://gradient-small-changes-in-angle-big-differences-in-climb-rate/?ref=scottsemple.com), so the precision of an outdoor session will never be high. I wanted both accuracy and precision, thus the treadmill. Most of the time, the treadmill sits idle in my garage. I’m sure my family wonders why the hell I spent the money. Then on occasion, I open the garage door and my neighbours wonder what the hell that guy is doing hiking inside on a sunny day. --- 1. Aerobic threshold is best defined by the pace, power, or heart rate that produces a steady state blood lactate value between 1.5 and 2.5 millimoles. For most people, \~2mM is a good benchmark. [↩](#fnref-202021-1) 2. Anaerobic threshold has too many definitions to count… I define it as the pace, power, or heart rate that produces a steady state blood lactate value of \~4mM. Yes, MLSS may have >50% more lactate circulating, but the intensity to produce it is often only marginally greater. Most of the time, the pace and power at \~4mM is “close enough”. [↩](#fnref-202021-2) ### Gradient: Small changes in angle, big differences in climb rate URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/gradient-small-changes-in-angle-big-differences-in-climb-rate/ Last updated: 2023-12-31T14:40:48.000Z *When using climb rates as benchmarks, make sure that the grade of the terrain during tests is consistent. Small variations in gradient will create big differences in climb rates and misleading results between tests.* I often use a treadmill as part of my warm-up for strength sessions in the gym. At my usual gradient and speeds, my heart rates in the gym are 5-8% lower than on my treadmill at home. For a warm-up, that hardly matters. But I’ve been using my treadmill at home for [lactate tests](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-1-where-am-i-starting-from/). And I’ve been using my previous best lactate test as a benchmark, but I did that test on the treadmill at the gym. The difference heart rates was a good clue. I wondered if I was comparing apples to apples between lactate tests. What if the gradients and speeds between the two treadmills were actually different? I’m not sure how to compare the speeds, but measuring the angles seemed simple enough. I downloaded an app on my phone and measured the slope of the running surface on each treadmill. It turned out that there was a 1.4° difference: 12.5° at the gym; 13.9° at home. A 1.4° difference doesn’t sound like much. But convert the degrees into a percentage gradient. Then calculate the difference in climb rates at a constant speed. It’s a difference of 11.6%. That *is* significant. Here are the details. When set to a 25% grade (14.0°): - The gym treadmill is actually 22.17% (12.5°); - My home treadmill is actually 24.75% (13.9°); and - The difference between the two is 2.58% (24.75 – 22.17). - 2.58 / 22.17 = 11.6% To make it easier, let’s compare climb rates at a constant speed. Let’s say that the two treadmills each appeared to be set at a 25% grade and 4.0 kmh. As described above, the actual grades are less than 25%. Let’s assume that the speed is accurate. In this case, the climb rates would be: - 4 kmh = 4,000 meters per hour (mhr); so - 4,000 x 22.17% = \~887 meters per hour on the gym treadmill; but - 4,000 x 24.75% = \~990 meters per hour on my home treadmill; - ((990 / 887) – 1) x 100 = 11.6%; so - Despite appearing to be set to the same grade and speed, my home treadmill is demanding a pace 11.6% faster. So no wonder I thought my performance was sucking. Despite more training volume and better fitness, my lactate tests were worse. I assumed I was just getting (more) old. Now I know that my February 2016 test was overstated. By assuming that the gym treadmill was actually set at 25%, I felt like I was climbing faster than I actually was. My actual pace was much slower. ## The Good News: Correcting my previous test Next, I corrected the climb rates on my February 2016 test. The comparative results are more in line with what I’m feeling. I’m climbing better now than in 2016. ![Graph of lactate test results before calibration](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Before-calibration.jpg?ssl=1) Lactate test results before treadmill calibration: My February 2016 lactate test (the blue line) is lower and further right than all of my 2018 tests (the cluster of red lines). If it were true, then my metabolic performance in February 2016 would have been better than it is currently, despite a higher training volume and better overall fitness. ![Graph of lactate test results after calibration](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/After-calibration.jpg?ssl=1) Lactate test results after treadmill calibration: Once corrected for the difference in slope, my February 2016 lactate test (the blue line) is higher and further left than most of my 2018 tests (the cluster of red lines). As such, my metabolic performance now is better than it was in February 2016, which is in line with how I feel and other performance measures. ## The Bad News: My previous pace was really exaggerated The disappointing part is that my \~2mM climb rate was never as good as I thought. Reality sucks, I guess… In February 2016, I loved thinking that my \~2mM climb rate at 25% was 1,200 mhr. That felt pretty respectable. But now I see that I’ve never been that fit. My best \~2mM climb rate is where I’m at now: \~1,100 mhr. It’s still decent, but… Doh! ## The takeaway: Measure to make sure I realize now to never trust the speeds and grades that a piece of equipment displays. I’ll measure to make sure. From now on, I’ll always calibrate equipment that I use for testing. This is especially true when using more than one device for the same purpose. And it’s very important with climb rates. Small variations in gradient will create big differences. To compare apples to apples, it’s necessary to adjust for the slope of the test surface. ### Slow & steady is boring. Is it really necessary? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/slow-steady-boring-necessary/ Last updated: 2025-10-15T16:00:45.000Z Originally published [at Uphill Athlete](https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/slow-best-for-fitness/?ref=scottsemple.com) in July 2018. I love *The Matrix*. In my favorite scene, Neo straps himself to an archaic dentist’s chair. He’s learning martial arts by downloading them into his brain. Once they’re installed, he can use them in the digital world. To make the downloads, Neo’s colleague plugs a thick cable into the back of Neo’s skull. He taps a button on his screen, and Neo’s “training” begins. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Instead of dedicating a slow, tedious decade to one martial art, we could plug in, download it, and be awesome. But life isn’t like that, is it? To master something, a slow, tedious decade is mandatory. ## What Shysters Sell A slow, tedious decade doesn’t sound very exciting. It’s a daunting, groaning prospect. Everyone withers at the thought of devoting so much time and energy to such a long-term project at such a slow pace. It’s much more tempting to think that, just maybe, we’re special. Maybe we can find a secret shortcut to getting most of the benefit with very little effort. The fantasy is rampant. Shysters build their businesses on it and capitalize on our laziness. We can get fat over a decade, but skinny in six weeks. We can be a couch potato, but transform into an Olympian in 20 minutes of high-intensity intervals. We can be everything we’ve ever wanted to be, even bulletproof, and it only costs $39.99. Right? No, I’m afraid not. As Greg LeMond said, “It doesn’t get easier. It just gets faster.” Remember that: It. Doesn’t. Get. Easier. ## The Real Winners Several years ago, two friends were talking about what it takes to sport climb at a high level. My friend Greg had been climbing a long time, but he’s better built for rugby or football. He’d never climbed harder than 5.11\. Will, a professional climber, told him, “Your biggest problem is that you don’t try very hard.” When Greg was 18, he convinced his dentist to try a root canal without anesthetic. Old-school and Eastern European, the dentist agreed. Greg completed the procedure, fingers like dragon claws digging into the armrests. So telling Greg he didn’t try very hard was like telling a bull he doesn’t get very angry. Greg was taken aback, but took Will’s comment to heart. He buckled down and focused. Two years later, he climbed his first 5.13\. That same year, he ran his first 50-mile ultra and set a deadlift PR of 500 pounds. ## There is no secret ingredient In *Kung Fu Panda*, Po receives some key advice from his father (who happens to be a goose). > The secret ingredient is ... nothing. > > Wait, wait. It's just plain old noodle soup? You don't add some kind of special sauce or something? > > Don't have to! To make something special, you just have to believe it's special. First, believing something is special is what the shysters want. They try and sell special all day long just as Po’s dad does with his soup. Second, special isn’t necessary. We all have what we need to do what we want. The unknown variables are how far we can go and whether we have the will to do it. Luckily for uphill athletes, the path to high-end endurance is well-known. If we can commit to a long walk down that path, progress is almost certain. > The question is not how far. The question is: Do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far as is needed? > —Il Duce in The Boondock Saints ## What does endurance demand? In the field of endurance training, world-class athletes and their coaches know all the ingredients. The magic they create is in how they combine them. It’s not in discovering (or pretending to discover) something that’s never existed. To be as good as you can be, you need to: ### **1\. Be humble.** Accept that it’s going to take years of hard work to get where you want to go. The only way to escape the work is to dumb down your goals or waste your potential. (To do the former, swim in small ponds. To do the latter, pride yourself on your off-the-couch performance.) ### **2\. Stay healthy.** Health is the foundation of athletics. Training can become unhealthy, and when it does, fitness will deteriorate. Focus on health, and your long-term mileage will be a lot better. ### **3\. Embrace constraints.** Everyone, even a professional, has constraints. Professionals have the luxury of human capacity as their constraint. The rest of us need to accept that kids and careers are ours. And they’re worth the sacrifice. ### **4\. Start early.** Chances are good that you’re at least six years from your potential, not six months. And certainly not six weeks. Even when training, people often get seduced by the first bump in ability, thinking that they’ve realized their potential. Not so. That’s just a white belt. If it takes 10 years to get a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the same to get an MD, why would anyone think physical actualization happens in one summer? ### **5\. Be consistent and gradual.** Consistency, gradualness, and modulation. Slow and steady wins the race. An approach that’s modest and regular will beat something more extreme that’s less consistent. ### **6\. Take it easy.** Training volume is [the dry sand you need to build a castle](https://www.scottsemple.com/sand-castles-a-mental-model-of-endurance-training/). Respect that. Over 90 percent of your training should be easy and below your aerobic threshold. ### **7\. Be specific.** Being active isn’t enough. Make those low-intensity hours count. Your training should be as specific as possible to your goal event. ### **8\. Add a small amount of intensity.** Only after the first seven are in place does it make sense to go hard. It’s safe to add a small amount of intensity—less than 5 percent of total volume—when your aerobic threshold is 90 percent or more of your anaerobic threshold. ## Did I Burst Your Bubble? It’s too bad there isn’t a secret sauce, isn’t it? Believe it or not, slow and steady *is* the secret sauce. With everyone else chasing fantasies, you can get miles ahead by just ignoring the nonsense. As Tyler Durden said: > You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everything else. Negative? Demoralizing? Not at all. It’s liberating. You don’t need a lottery ticket. You don’t need to search for something special that doesn’t exist. Just buckle down and get to work. ### Lactate Test #3: Moving in the right direction URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-3-moving-in-the-right-direction/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:12:10.000Z Last week, I did my third lactate test of the season. As planned after [my second test](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/), I wanted to minimize glycogen depletion in the anaerobic portion, so I split the test into two parts. I did the aerobic part on July 2nd and the anaerobic on July 3rd. Since my test on May 21st, I’ve started local muscular endurance (LME) training. I worried that starting LME would push my curve up and left, but that hasn’t happened. In fact, my curve is now more aerobic (having moved down and right). This is true for both pace and heart rate. My anaerobic capacity is slightly reduced, but still strong. My aerobic threshold [climb rate](https://www.scottsemple.com/gradient-small-changes-in-angle-big-differences-in-climb-rate/) (at \~2 mM of lactate) has moved from \~1,000 to \~1,075 meters per hour. By heart rate, my AeT is almost restored, having moved up from 169 to 177 bpm. My anaerobic capacity has declined from 14.5 to 13.6 mM.[1](#fn-1698-1) ![A graph of results for my July 2nd lactate test](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/July-2-Test.png?ssl=1) In early July, I completed my third lactate capacity test of the season. The results are promising, showing a shift in the curve down and to the right. (The dark red line is the most recent test. The other lines, also red, fade as the date of the test gets older.) ## What does this lactate test show? In my last test, I worried about how glycolytic I was at low heart rates. It’s unusual for me to approach \~2 mM of lactate at heart rates in the 160s. When I’m in race shape, \~2 mM is usually in the low-180s. To compensate, I cut back on anaerobic development and increased the speed of my aerobic capacity workouts. My curve has started to move down and right, so it appears that those were good decisions. My aerobic threshold heart rate (AeT HR) is only six beats lower than usual. Things are moving in the right direction. Another positive result is a mild increase in anaerobic power. The anaerobic capacity part of this test was at the same pace as the second test: 2,400 mhr. But I was able to hold that pace 17 seconds longer (73″ versus 90″). In my next test, I’ll increase the speed to keep the interval between 45″ and 90″.[2](#fn-1698-2) ## What training led to this shift? Here’s a breakdown of the training that I’ve done between my second and third lactate tests: - Modes: max strength, hill sprints, fasted sessions, super easy volume, faster aerobic work, local muscular endurance - Volume versus intensity: - 99.7% <= of AeT HR (versus 98.7% before my second test); - \~64% <= 80% of AeT HR (versus \~74%). - Specificity: - \~25% of training time was on (roller) skis (versus \~36%); - \~97% was weight-bearing (versus \~99%). ![Three graphs that show recent training distribution by heart rate zone](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/July-2-By-Zone.png?ssl=1) **Training Distribution by Heart Rate Zone**: The left-most graph is my training distribution for last season (2017/2018). The middle graph is the distribution for the current season (2018/2019). The right-most graph is the distribution between my previous test (on May 21st) up to the day before my most recent test (on July 2nd). ![Three graphs showing my recent training distribution by trainiing mode](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/July-2-By-Mode.png?ssl=1) **Training Distribution by Training Mode**: The left-most graph is my training distribution for last season (2017/2018). The middle graph is the distribution for the current season (2018/2019). The right-most graph is the distribution between my previous test (on May 21st) up to the day before my most recent test (on July 2nd). ## How does this influence the next training phase? My lactate curve has shifted down and right as I’d hoped. Now that things are moving in the right direction, I’m going to stick to [my original training plan](https://www.scottsemple.com/planning-a-training-season/). Over the next six weeks, my priorities are - **Maintain anaerobic capacity** I’ve finished the anaerobic capacity development phase. Now I’ll maintain anaerobic capacity with a short sprint workout every seven to ten days. I’ve had great results preceding max strength workouts with a sprint warm up, so I’ll continue combining the two into one workout. - **Continue to extend and speed up my aerobic capacity workouts** Speeding up my aerobic capacity workouts has helped. It’s put that progression back on track. Spot tests during workouts have shown declining lactate levels at comparable paces. - **Continue progressing my local muscular endurance work** I worried that LME work would make me more anaerobic, but that’s not the case. In fact, judging by my [lactate after LME workouts](https://www.scottsemple.com/skimo-training-progress#local-muscular-endurance), the opposite has happened. As the demands of LME workouts have increased, heart rate has increased, but post-workout lactate has fallen. That’s a clear sign of aerobic improvement. And now that sprint work is in maintenance mode, I can increase the frequency of LME work from once per week to two. - **Increase proportionate roller skiing volume** Since my previous test, my time on skis fell from \~36% of training volume to \~25%. This is due to the arrival of summer and fewer opportunities to get on snow. Still, I’d like to maintain a \~30% minimum, so I’ll need to increase my time on roller skis. - **Increase the pace of the next anaerobic capacity test** To test anaerobic capacity in an [Olbrecht-style lactate test](http://www.lactate.com/aerobic%5Fanaerobic%5Fanimation.html?ref=scottsemple.com), you need a maximal effort that lasts between 45 and 90 seconds. As mentioned above, I was able to hold the target pace for 90″, so I’ll need to increase the speed next time. Bumping up the pace from 2,400 to 3,000 mhr should cause a noticeable drop in sustainable duration. --- In an Olbrecht-style lactate test, the aerobic and anaerobic capacities are not measured in absolute terms (of VO2max and Lamax, respectively.) The test measures their strengths relative to one another. If one capacity weakens, the other will appear stronger, and vice versa. As such, there are 13 different ways that a lactate curve can shift, so some skilled interpretation is necessary. Performance factors, both inside and outside the test, need to be considered. [↩](#fnref-1698-1) - Increases in anaerobic power are often explained by increases in anaerobic capacity. But the opposite is true: an increase in *aerobic* capacity leads to an increase in [anaerobic power](http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat%5Fread.php?thread=8150770&ref=scottsemple.com). As aerobic capacity increases, the aerobic system can absorb more lactate. With more lactate absorbed, blood lactate is lower for a given intensity. With lower blood lactate, higher intensities can be maintained for longer. Thus anaerobic power–measured by the maximum duration of a near maximal effort–increases alongside increases in aerobic capacity. This phenomenon is counter-intuitive and often misunderstood. The confusion is the birthplace of HIIT training and its ilk. High intensity is necessary for all athletes, but if used in isolation, HIIT training will destroy everything an athlete has built. [↩](#fnref-1698-2) ### Planning a training season URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/planning-a-training-season/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:07:07.000Z The chance of any plan going according to plan is zero. But the chance of arriving at an unknown destination without a map is also zero. Reality unfolds somewhere in the middle. For the 2018/2019 season, I did an analysis of where I’m at and what I need to work on. By using that brainstorm as a rough guide–and with some luck, flexibility, and course correction over the next six months–I should get to where I want to go with the least amount of detours and dead ends. 1\. [The SWOT Analysis](#The%5FSWOT%5FAnalysis) 2\. [Incorporating SWOT into the plan](#Incorporating%5FSWOT) 3\. [New Ingredients](#New%5FIngredients) 4\. [How am I going to structure it?](#Structure) 5\. [Where am I now?](#Now) ## --- ## The SWOT Analysis Several years ago, I learned about [SWOT analyses](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT%5Fanalysis?ref=scottsemple.com) from a business colleague. I thought that doing a SWOT analysis would be a good way to start my training plan. So I gave a lot of thought to my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The rest of this post details what I came up with. ### What are my *strengths*? These are areas that I need to maintain and capitalize on. - Strong finisher; fast transitions; can move fast in exposed, technical terrain; good at pacing; patient; flexible schedule, extensive training knowledge; have [a world-class advisor](https://evokeendurance.com/coaches/scott-johnston/?ref=scottsemple.com); high anaerobic capacity ### What are my *weaknesses*? These will be key areas to focus on and strengthen. - Slow starter; negative when too anaerobic; lose time on downhills; heavy upper body; prone to grinding away; rare to branch out; weak legs relative to heart and lungs ### What *opportunities* do I have? - Improve start speed; increase pain tolerance; atrophy upper body; take more calculated risks; make intensity more specific; make training modes more specific; increase volume; add more altitude. ### What *threats* am I facing? - Immunity (exposed to school-age children); occasional severe life stress (1-2x per year); injury (occasional hip and knee pain); too much travel --- ## Incorporating SWOT into the plan As detailed above, I have a bunch of changes that I want to make to my training. Everything comes back to climbing and descending faster with less effort, but another factor is to make my training healthier. The healthier it is, the more consistent it’ll be. The more consistent it is, the more effective it can be. ### Save strengths for in-season Strengths are areas that I can use later. For training, I need to make sure that I maintain them. The temptation is to focus on them because it’ll feel good and be gratifying. But strengths are not where the low-hanging fruit lies in a training season. ### Have more fun I have a bad habit of grinding away, making my time as jam-packed and efficient as possible. As a result, my training gets rigid and stagnates. This year I’ve freed up my schedule to allow for more flexibility. It’ll allow for a wider variety of objectives, and it should help to keep things fresh. Another component is music. I’ve never listened to music when training because I value the quiet time in my head. It allows for a lot of thinking, and a lot of my writing ideas come from it. But once workouts get long in the tooth, the thinking stops and so does the fun. The other day, I stopped and put my headphones in. It made a huge difference, and I finished the session with more energy than I would have. Over the season, that’ll pay big dividends in speedier recoveries and ongoing motivation. It’s like a sonic carrot on the end of a wired stick. - Deals with: *Weaknesses* (negative when fatigued, prone to grinding away, rare to branch out); *Opportunities* (take more calculated risks) ### Be more social Being more social is another way to have more fun, but it warrants its own section. Training needs are rarely shared between athletes. And the mindset of you-do-your-workout-I’ll-do-mine is nonexistent among non-athletes. So structured endurance training is often solitary. That solitude can be a heavy burden at times. (It makes me appreciate my years climbing, where the partnership is an inherent benefit.) To lessen the load, I’m going to make my training more social. Key workouts will be specific, but there’s no reason that easy days can’t be less structured. I suspect that the social element will also speed up the recovery process. - Deals with: *Weaknesses* (negative when fatigued, prone to grinding away, rare to branch out); *Opportunities* (flexible schedule, take more calculated risks) ### Take more rest Loosening up my schedule a bit also allows for more downtime. I’m planning on at least one mandatory rest day per week. That one rest day allows for almost two months off per year with zero fitness losses. Quite the opposite actually, because rest and recovery days are when we get stronger. Also, I’m going to stop using an alarm clock and take a lot of naps. My dog is on this program, and it seems to work well for her! - Deals with: *Opportunities* (flexible schedule); *Threats* (immunity, stress) ### Be more specific Last year, I bought some used roller skis. I didn’t notice that the roller skis I bought didn’t track straight and needed all new wheels. The boots I bought were too big. And roller skiing on any sort of downhill is terrifying. I was intimidated, so I avoided it. When ski season came around last winter, I had to get used to having skis on my feet. I could feel the extra drag. My skimo skis are the lightest possible, but they’re still heavier than running shoes. It took me a few weeks to adjust. My time on any type of ski was only 26% of my total training time last year. This year, I’d like to make it 50%. I got a close-out deal on some new entry-level roller skis, and I bought some smaller boots. I should hire someone for some roller skiing lessons as well. Many people would say that roller skiing contradicts the first thing in this list: Have more fun. By the end of the summer, I may agree. But learning how to glide a roller ski is pretty challenging when you’re used to a wide, flat skimo ski. The technical challenge is fun. And if I can trade roller ski hours for downhill running, it’s already a win. - Deals with: *Opportunities* (make training modes more specific) ### Do more super easy volume After reading the [Marit Bjorgen study](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.01069/full?ref=scottsemple.com), I realized that my easy days were still not easy enough. This is especially true because I’m very fast-twitch. Fast-twitch athletes need even slower recovery paces than their slow-twitch counterparts. So I decided to find out exactly what pace and heart rate put me at \~1 mM of lactate. It was a very slow pace, but it allows for a lot more volume. And the pace at that \~1 mM heart rate has increased a lot, so it’s no longer painfully slow. Still, it takes a while for a 1 mM workout to feel like work, so it’s always tempting to go faster. But at 1 mM, the recovery is fast, usually within hours. Thus, I can do a lot more volume at that intensity. > The one who lines up for a race with the biggest base, the most training volume, wins. > \~ Rico Elmer I wish it were as simple as having the biggest base… But the statement does hold true if all else is equal. But all else is never #$%^ing equal, is it? - Deals with: *Opportunities* (increase training volume) ### Do more Local Muscular Endurance The weak link in my fitness is my legs. My engine is strong, but my legs have recently been the component that fatigues first. I’ve also noticed that my heart rates aren’t as high during high-intensity efforts. That could partly be from an increase in cardiac stroke volume. But based on how my legs feel, my legs aren’t strong enough to place a high enough demand on my heart and lungs. My heart and lungs have strengthened, but I’ve left my legs behind. [Yuri Verkhoshansky](http://www.verkhoshansky.com/Portals/0/Book/BTS%20in%20ER%20Index.pdf?ref=scottsemple.com) developed Local Muscular Endurance training (LME). It’s a good way to recruit more fast-twitch muscle fiber and have it work aerobically. Verkhoshansky used a series of weighted jumps to make this happen. My friend [Scott Johnston](https://evokeendurance.com/coaches/scott-johnston/?ref=scottsemple.com) developed something similar using long-duration, weighted, uphill carries. Because skimo is a high-cadence sport with no heavy loads, I’m going to focus on the weighted jump method. Twelve weeks of LME in the beginning of the training season should do the trick. If I can tolerate it, I may add more closer to race season. - Deals with: *Opportunities* (the drive train (my legs) are the weak link) ### Do more lactate shuttle training Before last race season, I experimented with supra-threshold alternations. The first interval is greater than anaerobic threshold. The “recovery” interval is at anaerobic threshold. They’re brutal but very effective. The theory is that the alternating intensity forces the body to reabsorb more lactate at AnT. After only a few sessions last year, I felt much, much stronger. (Unfortunately, I got derailed shortly thereafter, and I never got back on the program.) - Deals with: *Weaknesses* (slow starter); *Opportunities* (improve start speed; increase pain tolerance) ### Do more strength training I’m an admitted slacker when it comes to strength training. I go through periods of liking the gym and then avoiding it for months. This year I’m planning on at least two strength sessions per week. I’ll do at least one max session and one core. - Deals with: *Opportunities* (the drive train (my legs) are the weak link; *Threats* (injury, occasional hip and knee pain) --- ## New Ingredients Even after all of the above, there are several things that I want to add this year. ### Be precise with intensity Below aerobic threshold, intensity tracks closely with heart rate. But above aerobic threshold, I find heart rate almost useless. It takes upwards of 30 seconds for heart rate to start to respond to changes in intensity. And it may take tens of minutes for it to match intensity. In many cases, that’s way too long of a feedback cycle to be useful. Nailing high intensity with heart rate feels like throwing darts. I hate throwing darts. So I bought a treadmill. This year, my intensity work above aerobic threshold (>= 2 mM) is going to be [precise and repeatable](https://youtu.be/nHHn7KiR65I?ref=scottsemple.com). (Hill sprints are the exception: Neither heart rate nor speed are necessary to measure at maximal intensities.) - Deals with: *Opportunities* (make intensity more specific) ### Get up high more often Another takeaway from the [Marit Bjoergen study](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.01069/full?ref=scottsemple.com) was her use of altitude. Although not away for long periods of time, altitude training made up 20-25% of her total training time. She did several two-week blocks, living at 7,000′ and training between 5,000′ and 10,000′. Frequent two-week blocks would be a stretch for me, but I may be able to do more shorter trips. Plus, I live at 5,000′ so I can easily get higher on day trips. I’m hoping several shorter trips will help. I’d like to make 20-25% of my training above 2,100m (\~7,000′). - Deals with: *Opportunities* (add more altitude) ### Testing I’ve done a bunch of [lactate testing](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-1-where-am-i-starting-from/) in the past, but I had to stop because I didn’t have a proper testing venue. (Public gyms don’t like blood samples on their machines…) Now that I have my own treadmill, I have that option again. I’m going to test: - [Aerobic and anaerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-destroy-aerobic-capacity/) every six weeks (AeC and AnC, respectively); - Peak lactate after sprint workouts; - \~1′- and \~10′-lactate after LME workouts; - Mid- and post-workout lactate during lactate shuttle intervals; - Event-specific Maximum Lactate Steady State (MLSS) tests later in the season. More testing should keep my training more on-track. It’ll give me ample opportunity to course correct when necessary. - Deals with: *Opportunities* (make training more specific) ### Stretching I am a Bad Stretcher. But at 44, I need to start paying more attention to mobility. Every year I have more and more maintenance to do. (As we get older, does all activity slow until it’s all maintenance? I hope not.) I’m more consistent if I record what I’m doing. It helps with stretching as well. Like [The Seinfeld Strategy](https://jamesclear.com/stop-procrastinating-seinfeld-strategy?ref=scottsemple.com), it’s motivating to see my stretching volume inch upward. - Deals with: *Threats* (injury, occasional hip and knee pain) ### Hire a nutritionist I climbed a lot from 1996 to 2009\. My weight varied from 150 to 165 pounds. I was heavier when mixed and alpine climbing, and lighter for competitions. After five years of endurance training, I’ve “rearranged the furniture” a bit, but I still have a heavier torso than the skimo racers on the podium. I don’t have the natural ability to podium, but I may be able to get closer if I can get lighter. But getting lighter is a waste if my health suffers. A nutritionist could help. - Deals with: *Weaknesses* (heavy upper body); *Threats* (illness, stress, injury) --- ## How am I going to structure it? My training season is in phases, inspired by the methods of [Renato Canova](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renato%5FCanova?ref=scottsemple.com). A Canova macrocycle consists of six phases: ### Transition (4 weeks) - Goal: Rest and relaxation followed by an easy bridge back into the training routine. - Focus: Fun. Volume. Gain. Slowly. - Content: Playing in the mountains, climbing, and skiing. Disconnecting from Training Peaks. Trying some fast ascents, fast traverses. Some general strength, circuits, a few max workouts. No intense endurance training. ### Introduction (4 weeks) - Goal: Easing back into training with extreme polarization (it’s either super easy or super hard). - Focus: Similar to Transition - Content: Adding one or two sprint workouts per week. Keep endurance training paces under 80% of aerobic threshold (<= 2 mM) ### Fundamental (12 weeks) - Goal: Training is still quite polarized. The focus is on extending endurance sessions and developing speed. - Focus: Back to work, but keep it fun. The easy endurance days can still be social and recreational. - Content: Local Muscular Endurance (LME) once or twice a week, depending on recovery. One jump session and perhaps one carry session. Start conservatively. Endurance paces at <=95% AeT (-10), but not longer than 60-75′. Sprints once a week if tolerated alongside LME. Add some high-end 30-30s in the last two weeks. - Races: Possibly two VKs. > “We increase the distance and the global volume.” > \~ Canova ### Special (12 weeks) - Goal: Training starts to move toward race pace. Endurance sessions are sped up; speed work is slowed and lengthened. - Focus: Faster endurance. Longer speed work. - Content: Endurance paces move up to <=97% AeT (-5), but not longer than 60-75′. Slower paces can be longer. More 30-30s in the first four weeks, then moving into MLSS alternations for the last eight weeks. Max strength work. Schedule a mental refresh trip toward the end of this phase. - Races: Possibly two VKs. > “We maintain the distance and the volume and increase the speed.” > \~ Canova ### Specific (8 weeks) - Goal: Event-specific training. Both endurance and speed end the phase at race pace. Endurance from below; speed from above. - Focus: The final funnel - Content: Slower and longer intervals at \~AnT progressing down to skimo race pace. Longer sessions at AeT, progressing up to skimo race pace. Progressive workouts starting below AeT, finishing at \~AnT. Strength is max and maintenance. - Races: Includes one skimo race in week 5 which will be a good readiness test. ### Competitive (12 weeks) - Goal: Racing begins. My goal this year is to stay as fresh as possible throughout the season. That’ll demand a lot of easy volume to counteract the deleterious effects of racing. - Focus: Stay fresh. - Content: Limit aerobic deterioration. The season could have eight races, but racing all would be too many. Season ranking is based on the best four. (Is it still? This seems to change often…) Lake Louise is worth more points than the rest. > “There’s not a lot you can do to make someone faster before a race, but there’s a lot you can do to make them slower.” Here’s [the template that I use](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cCljKk-6EQmv0Dc1juKmSuRHrwt2mB7j2NZq-cNQ8bA/edit?usp=sharing&ref=scottsemple.com) to schedule the workout progressions within each phase. --- ## Where am I now? This is the seventh week of my Fundamental phase. In this phase, I started introducing the higher intensity components. The Transition and Introduction phases included a speed traverse and a lot of loose, unstructured training. So far it’s gone well. Both my max lifts and average weekly volume are high. Peak lactate after sprints is less than last year (which was a record year), but that may be due to a higher aerobic capacity. My easy runs are at unusually low heart rates, and the \~1 mM training seems to be paying off. I’m recovering quickly after each day of training. I’ve finished three lactate tests so far. I was concerned about elevated [lactate levels at low heart rates in the second test](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/), but I was able to reverse that by the third. The key was to slow anaerobic development and increase the pace of aerobic work. For the rest of the Fundamental phase, I’m going to focus on Local Muscular Endurance and increasing the pace of my aerobic capacity workouts. That should gradually improve my lactate curve by strengthening aerobic capacity and slightly weakening anaerobic capacity. If successful, my curve will continue to move down and right. If that happens as planned, the gap between my aerobic threshold and anaerobic threshold will narrow as well. ### Lactate Test #2: What happened to aerobic capacity? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/ Last updated: 2023-12-10T20:59:53.000Z On May 21st, I did my second lactate capacity test of the season. I planned on both an aerobic and anaerobic capacity check during the test. But the aerobic part of the test was too long. It likely caused a bit of glycogen depletion. Depletion would have compromised the results of the anaerobic part of the test. To minimize interference between the two tests, I did the anaerobic part two days later. I may do that from now on. The combined test had mixed results. By both heart rate and pace, my [aerobic capacity appears to have weakened](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-destroy-aerobic-capacity/). (This is shown by the blue line being above and left of the red line) My anaerobic capacity appears to be the same as in early April (14.5 versus 14.6). ![A chart of the second lactate test compared to the first](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2nd-test.png?ssl=1) Lactate Test #2: What happened to aerobic capacity? The blue line being above and left of the red line suggests that aerobic capacity has declined? However, anaerobic capacity is the same, but via a shorter interval. ## Isn’t that bad? At first glance, it appears that the first phase of this year’s training cycle hasn’t gone as planned. The results seem worse than the first test. But I suspect that my [aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-capacity-when-can-i-stop/) is still the same or stronger due to the following factors: - The anaerobic result came from a 60″ AFAP interval rather than a 90″ interval (which is what I used in early April). I produced the same lactate in 33% less time. That being the case, I suspect that my anaerobic capacity has increased since early April. If true, then my aerobic capacity will appear weaker. (The two capacities always present relative to one another; not in absolute measures.) - I can now jog at less than 60% of maximum heart rate. When I first started training, I couldn’t jog at less than 75%. Over the past few years, my heart rate during easy runs has steadily fallen. At less than 60% of maximum, it’s lower than ever. - I’m training at a record high volume than I have in the past, and I’m recovering well. That suggests a greater work capacity which should support a higher aerobic capacity. ## What training led to this? Here’s a breakdown of the training that I’ve done in the first seven weeks of this year’s program: - Training Focus: max strength, hill sprints, fasted sessions, super easy volume - Intensity: 98.7% <= aerobic threshold heart rate (AeT HR); \~74% <= 80% of AeT HR. - Specificity: \~87% of training time was running, ski mountaineering, hiking, and roller skiing. ![Charts of total trianing time broken down by intensity and mode](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/1st-phase-of-training.png?ssl=1) ## How does this influence the next training phase? I suspect that my aerobic capacity is stable. But I’d still like to see both aerobic and anaerobic capacities progress. I don’t want to wake up months from now and find out that I went down the wrong path. To that end, I’m going to change my original plan in a few ways: - **Slow down anaerobic development** I’ve been doing AnC work twice a week, but that may be too much right now. I’m going to cut that back to once a week. - **Increase the pace of aerobic capacity workouts** My original plan was to postpone the faster AeC work for a little longer. But with lactate at \~2 mM between 160 and 170, that’s 10-20 beats lower than normal. By doing more work in the 160 range, my metabolic efficiency should improve. - **Fall back on nose breathing as an in-session limiter** Although I know that my current \~2 mM threshold is in the 160s, I want to make sure that I don’t exceed it. That could create a long-term problem. For AeC sessions, I’ll make sure to only breathe through my nose. Nose breathing provides great, real-time feedback on lactate levels. The limit of nose breathing usually corresponds with the aerobic threshold. - **Do more roller skiing** The first phase of this season was at the tail end of winter, so I still had a decent amount of volume on skis. Now that spring has sprung, ski days will be less and less common. To make up for the change, I’ll need to increase my time on roller skis, ideally one-third or more of total training time. - **Do more run-hiking** Most of my training so far has been running, either on flat or rolling terrain. I can feel my runs getting faster, but I can also feel steep terrain is less familiar. That may have been a factor in this test as well. I’m going to do more steep run-hiking so that I don’t lose that specificity. ## The conflicting factor It has always been part of my plan to start Local Muscular Endurance training now. [Yuri Verkhoshansky’s LME work for distance runners](http://www.verkhoshansky.com/BlockTrainingSysteminendurancerunning/tabid/111/Default.aspx?ref=scottsemple.com) should start stimulating some lactate shuttling. That should increase my speed in the short run, and reduce lactate levels in the long run. However, my lactate curve in the short run may worsen. We’ll see. ### Lactate Test #1: Where am I starting from? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-1-where-am-i-starting-from/ Last updated: 2023-12-10T21:00:30.000Z On April 7th, I did my first lactate capacity test of the training season. A lactate capacity test tells you: - Your aerobic capacity by plotting \~2 mM/L and \~4 mM/L against pace and heart rate; - Your anaerobic [capacity by measuring the peak lactate output during the test;](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/) and - The relative strength of each system: aerobic versus anaerobic. ## — The first test of the season gives me a baseline to work from and an indication of what I need to work on. It’s only an indication because each [training season](https://www.scottsemple.com/planning-a-training-season/) starts off the same: maximizing both aerobic and anaerobic capacity. Later, anaerobic capacity can be shaped to be more race-specific. [Aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/aerobic-capacity-when-can-i-stop/) doesn’t need to be shaped, because the desired outcome is always the same: the more aerobic capacity, the better. Here are my April 7th results: ![A graph of the first lactate capacity test](https://i2.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Baseline-Test-1.png?ssl=1) My first lactate capacity test of the season: Aerobic capacity (AeC) is less than it used to be as is shown by the red line being higher and more to the left than the blue line. Anaerobic capacity (AnC) is higher than in the past as is shown by the peak lactate output achieved during the test (14.6 mM versus 8.1 mM). (Ignore the speed associated with AnC. I plotted it where it is so that the graph wouldn’t be too wide.) ## Aerobic & Anaerobic Capacity Compared to the last time a did a capacity test, my aerobic capacity has declined (in both heart rate and m/hr) and my anaerobic capacity has increased (in mM/L). Unfortunately, my previous test was so long ago that it’s hard to draw any conclusions about what has created the difference between the two tests. There are a couple of safe assumptions though. A decline in aerobic capacity is to be expected at the end of a race season. A high volume of high intensity will always reduce aerobic capacity. Intensity increases the acidity of blood in the muscles, and over extended periods of time, chronic levels of acidosis kill off mitochondria, the “aerobic engines” of our cells. As mitochondrial mass is reduced, so is aerobic capacity. The increase in anaerobic capacity is likely due to two factors: 1) the fact that I’ve been specifically training it since the summer of 2016; and 2) as aerobic capacity decreases, anaerobic capacity may appear to increase.[1](#fn-1612-%2A) **What should I do now?** When I first saw my most recent lactate curve, it told me what I needed to know. I needed to make my aerobic capacity relatively stronger while maintaining or also increasing my anaerobic capacity. If that could happen, the lower part of the curve would shift down and right, and the peak lactate value would exceed 14.6. The first order of business is to increase aerobic capacity. You can’t build a house without a foundation, and aerobic capacity is the bedrock for everything that comes after. (In absolute terms, I suspect that my aerobic capacity is stronger than it was in February 2016, but more on that later.) Ideally, I’d be able to increase anaerobic capacity as well. It’s been higher in the past, and having it high early in a training season is an advantage. Some think that a higher anaerobic capacity allows for a higher training volume. More observable is that the higher I can make AnC while training, the powerful it can become closer to race season. My next lactate capacity test is in a few days. I’ll post the results once they’re complete, along with a summary of the training I’ve done in between the two tests, and the rationale for the types of training that I’ve used. --- - A lactate curve doesn’t actually show absolute values for aerobic and anaerobic capacities. It shows the relative balance of the two. So if one gets relatively stronger or weaker, while the other one stays the same, the one staying the same will appear to get weaker or stronger, respectively. [↩](#fnref-1612-%2A) ### Sand Castles: A Mental Model of Endurance Training URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/sand-castles-a-mental-model-of-endurance-training/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T15:53:51.000Z Originally published at Uphill Athlete in May 2018. Training endurance is like building a sandcastle. You need sand, water, the sense not to overdo it, and both the expertise and creativity to build something great. Basic endurance is like piling dry sand. It can’t be shaped, just piled higher. For every inch of height, it takes a greater volume of dry sand than the inch before. Adding intensity is like adding water. You can increase the [angle of repose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angle%5Fof%5Frepose?ref=scottsemple.com) of the sand, steepening the cone, getting higher with the same volume. Artists (great coaches) can get the saturation just right, creating amazing sculptures. But those sculptures will always be temporary. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) proponents misunderstand the sand-to-water relationship. They assume that water is the big secret and conclude that: - “If water makes sandpiles steeper, let’s just use that!”; and - “If the pile of wet sand starts to crumble, let’s add more water!” The critical distinctions to understanding endurance training are: 1. First, it’s not either sand or water, but the *mix* of sand and water that’s important. 2. Second, wet sand is born from dry sand; it’s not independent. The volume of dry sand still determines the ultimate height of the cone or and size of the castle. 3. Third, if the pile starts to ooze downward, adding more water won’t help. To restore it, you have to dry it out (by adding more dry sand). [The Simplicity of Slow Twitch Endurance](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-long-can-aerobic-capacity-improve/) Slow twitch muscle fibers are the main driver in long, easy training sessions. Slow twitch endurance (STE) can increase in two ways: 1) by lengthening the duration of the demands on the fibers; or 2) reducing the fuel available to those fibers. With either method, you need more of the same to create increases in endurance. STE is a lot like very dry sand. It can’t be sculpted or shaped, only piled higher. The height of the pile is a function of the angle of repose and the volume of sand available. To increase the height of the pile, you need more and more sand. Now imagine that pile of dry sand as a series of layers. Each layer is a hollow cone, 1 inch thick, nested one inside the other. Every 1-inch cone must be of greater volume to fit over the previous one. Every 1-inch increase in height demands a greater amount of sand than the prior inch required. ![An illustration depicting cones of sand on top of one another.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/02/sandcastles-Greater-height-demands-greater-volume-1024x683.jpg) Each additional inch for the pile demands a greater and greater amount of total sand. ## The Fun of Fast Twitch Endurance Thankfully, a second ingredient can boost the performance of slow twitch endurance: fast twitch endurance (FTE). Fast twitch muscle fibers come alive with intensity, but that intensity is short-lived. To bolster endurance, an athlete must force fast twitch fibers to work longer than they want to. Once these fibers are recruited with a high load, the athlete extends the duration of work to force the fibers to work aerobically. When building an aerobic sandcastle, FTE is the water. It’s exciting because it reacts quickly and the athlete gets faster sooner. Seductively, FTE also hints at a more-for-less opportunity: You can make the sandpile taller with the same amount of sand. The angle of repose of wet sand is steeper. By adding water to dry sand, you can steepen the cone and make the pile higher. ![An illustration depicting how water can increase the angle of repose.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/02/sandcastles-Add-water-to-dry-sand-to-make-it-steeper-1024x683.jpg) Adding water increases the angle of repose, reducing the amount of additional volume required. But just like trees don’t grow to the sky, fast twitch endurance development can’t be done on its own or forever. ## What about sandcastles? To build a sandcastle, you need the right amounts of sand, water, and expertise. In endurance training, coaches can get the saturation just right. They can build sandcastles, but they know that their castles are always temporary. The castles will eventually dry out (or wet out), fall down, and become a pile again. ![An illustration of water pouring onto a sand castle, turning it into a puddle.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/02/sandcastles-Too-much-water-destroys-the-castle-1024x683.jpg) "More water!" is a great way to wreck a sand castle. ## More Water! HIIT proponents see the benefits of intensity training, but not in the broader context of where those benefits come from. (From the mix, not from the components.) If they’re working with near-sedentary people, that broader context doesn’t exist. Without an aerobic foundation, the context is invisible. Left with water and only a small amount of dry sand, HIIT proponents assume that water deserves all the credit. It’s a case of WYSIATI (What You See Is All There Is), which leads to mistaken conclusions and overconfidence. ### **Bad Conclusion #1: “If water makes sandpiles steeper, let’s just use that!”** Spoiler alert: You can’t build sandcastles with just water. The HIIT crowd assumes that intensity is a shortcut around more training volume. They force a false choice between dry sand and water. They think (and espouse) that wet sand can be drawn from an outside source. Although a pile of wet sand is steeper than a pile of dry sand, the wet sand can only be born from the dry sand. It’s not independent. So the ultimate height of the wet sand is still limited as a function of what it’s made from. And if you only have water, and no dry sand, you can’t make anything. ### **Bad Conclusion #2: “If wet sand starts to crumble, let’s add more water!”** Because the addition of intensity (i.e., “water”) has so much immediate benefit, it’s often assumed that more is better. But just like a pile of sand, adding water helps, but only to a point. It makes the pile steeper, but too much water will turn it into an oozing puddle. Because the choice between dry sand and wet sand is false, the HIIT crowd is backed into a corner. If adding more and more intensity stops working—which it always does—what are they left with? They can only add more water, or acknowledge that they were wrong. Sadly, most would rather add water to an already-crumbling castle. When wet sand starts to lose its structural integrity, adding more water isn’t the solution. Drying it out is. Likewise, when fitness starts to break down, it’s usually from too much intensity. Adding more intensity will make it worse, not better. The solution is to add more “dry sand,” more easy volume. ### Making the best recovery test even better URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/making-the-best-recovery-test-even-better/ Last updated: 2025-07-06T23:29:56.000Z When I woke up this morning, I knew that I needed to change my training plan. My [Training Peaks](http://www.trainingpeaks.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) metrics are positive, but my reality is far different. My [TSB](https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/applying-the-numbers-part-3-training-stress-balance/?ref=scottsemple.com) is near zero, but I’m tired. I should be feeling recovered and ready to start another training block. But I don’t, and I’m not. A year ago, I co-wrote [an article on the latest crop of HRV apps](https://www.uphillathlete.com/why-we-stopped-relying-on-hrv-apps/?ref=scottsemple.com). Our conclusion, at best, was that HRV apps are not helpful. At worst, they’re dangerous. The make-or-break question for a recovery test is, “How often does it show a false positive?” How often does the test recommend training when rest is really what’s needed? The HRV apps that we tested all showed several false positives, some dangerously frequent. Luckily, [the orthostatic heart rate test](http://www.uphillathlete.com/rusko-orthostatic-test/?ref=scottsemple.com) (OSHR) is a simple, low-tech option. I’ve never had a false positive with it. Even better, it flashes warning signs when there may be a problem on the horizon. **Improving the orthostatic recovery test** To make the OSHR even more robust, I ask myself seven questions before I look at the test results. Even on their own, these questions are often enough to paint a clear picture of my recovery status. - Do I have any leg fatigue walking up a flight of stairs? - Do I feel any general fatigue? - Did I have a bad sleep? - Do I feel any delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)? - Am I exposed to any sick people? - Do I have any cold or flu symptoms? - Was yesterday stressful? And then I track my answers in a spreadsheet. If I answer “yes” to any of the questions, the summary cell turns red. If “meh”, the cell turns yellow. If “no”, green. It gives me graphic feedback on where I’m at. ![Image of recovery questions in a spreadsheet](https://i0.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Recovery-questions-1.png?ssl=1) What a recovery log looks like for a clinically type-A tweaker **The power of negative thinking** It’s *very* important that the questions are framed in the negative. I want to look for [disconfirming evidence](https://www.fs.blog/2017/05/confirmation-bias/?ref=scottsemple.com). If the questions were framed in the positive: > “Did you have a good sleep?” instead of “Did you have a bad sleep?” …then I’d be looking for evidence to support my preferred outcome. It would bias me toward short-term training and away from what’s more important: long-term training. ### Clogging Up the Drain: Why You're Forced to Slow Down URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/clogging-up-the-drain-why-youre-forced-to-slow-down/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T15:54:07.000Z Originally published [at Uphill Athlete](https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/why-you-are-forced-to-slow-down/?ref=scottsemple.com) in July 2018. When I first started skimo racing, I started races way too fast. The gun would go off, and I’d bolt forward. I’d feel great for about 60 seconds, and then as if I was running through molasses I’d have to slow way down. With that kind of start, the rest of the race felt horrible. By starting too fast: - I was flooding my muscles with lactate and raising the acidity of my blood; - Drowning in that metabolic soup, my aerobic system would be overwhelmed. The more acidic my blood, the more I’d have to slow down to allow my aerobic system time to clean things up; - Later I learned that starting much slower allowed for a more gradual increase in lactate. Although hard to do emotionally, starting slower allowed for a faster average speed overall; and - The key to making those slow starts faster is to train the [aerobic system to absorb larger amounts of lactate](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/) so that its tolerable limit is higher. ## What happens when you start a race too fast? By starting too fast: - I was flooding my muscles with the metabolic by products of that anaerobic energy production—mainly lactate—but also raising the acidity of my blood. - I was drowning in that metabolic soup, my aerobic system completely overwhelmed. The more acidic my blood, the more I had to slow down to give my aerobic system time to clean things up. Later I learned that starting much slower allows for a more gradual increase in lactate. Although hard for me to do, starting slower enables a faster average speed. I also learned that to start faster, I need to train my aerobic system to absorb larger amounts of lactate. When you ramp up too fast, your body recruits fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers run primarily on glycogen, a form of stored sugar (glucose) that is broken down through a process known as glycolysis. This process allow for a faster speed and higher power output, but at a cost. Glycolysis produces the byproduct lactate which in my case was accumulating at too fast a rate forcing me to slow down. Amazingly, the aerobic metabolic system has the ability to take up and utilize that lactate to produce more energy for the muscles. Imagine a metabolic vacuum cleaner sucking up the lactate. The more capacity that vacuum cleaner has, the faster it can take up that lactate and shuttle it over to muscle fibers that can use it for energy to propel you. Since those fast twitch muscle fibers that I need to propel me at racing speeds are cranking out lactate at a prodigious rate, I need a big aerobic vacuum to deal with it. Bigger vacuum means bigger ***aerobic base***. If I exceed the aerobic capacity of that vacuum by too much, I will have to slow down to allow the vacuum some time to catch up. Often, that clearing process takes so long that your race will be over shortly after it’s begun. ## But why is it so slow? The upper limit of aerobic speeds is generally considered to be an activity level that produces a steady-state blood lactate value around 2 mM/L. Above that, other steady states exist, but the higher levels of lactate reflect a greater and greater contribution from the anaerobic system (glycolysis and fast twitch muscle fibers). The [maximum lactate steady state](https://uphillathlete.com/what-is-it-that-enables-endurance/?ref=scottsemple.com) (MLSS, also known as the Anaerobic Threshold or Lactate Threshold) is the highest speed where the muscles are producing and reabsorbing lactate at equal rates. Above this speed, lactate accumulates in the blood faster than it’s removed. When that starts happening, the clock is ticking. The faster the rate of accumulation, the shorter the duration. At a certain point, the only way the body can restore homeostasis is by slowing things down well below the MLSS. The frustrating part is that the speed required to reabsorb a large amount of excess lactate is much slower than MLSS. It’s often even much slower than a purely aerobic speed. So if you start a race with a burst, you’ll have to continue at a much slower pace than if you had started without the burst. Reabsorption speeds are so much slower because even aerobic speeds produce some lactate. If you’re running at your MLSS, your lactate levels will be at a steady state. Lactate is being produced and absorbed at the same rate. There isn’t any available capacity to absorb the excess lactate. ![The Aerobic Waterwheel diagram](https://uphillathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/clogging-up-the-drain-the-aerobic-waterwheel-684x1024.jpeg) Lactate is a fuel for the aerobic system. The more lactic throughput capacity the aerobic system has—i.e., the bigger the funnel—the higher levels of lactate it can use, and the more anaerobic input it can tolerate. The end result is a faster overall speed. | Illustration by Scott Semple So your body forces you to slow down. The large gap created between MLSS and the slower speed creates excess capacity. Your muscles can then start reabsorbing excess lactate. ## How long does it take to reabsorb lactate? This will vary by athlete, but here’s an example. The other day I did an [anaerobic capacity test](https://uphillathlete.com/diy-anaerobic-test/?ref=scottsemple.com) to help me plan for this year’s training. Specific to my sport, I set my treadmill to a grade of 25 percent and selected a speed that I thought I could hold for 45–90 seconds. The goal was to produce as much lactate as possible, so I needed a short, maximal effort. Once the test was over, I lowered the treadmill to 1 percent and ran slowly. I [measured my lactate](https://uphillathlete.com/blood-lactate-testing/?ref=scottsemple.com) after several long intervals. Here are the results (note: AFAP = As Fast as Possible): | Duration & Speed | Lactate | | ---------------- | ------- | | 90" AFAP | 14.6 | | 12' @ 8 kph | 7.1 | | 12' @ 7 kph | 2.7 | | 6' @ 5 kph | 2.6 | | 9' @ 7 kph | 1.9 | Normally, running at 7 kilometers per hour, my lactate values would be much lower than 1.9 mM. You can see that I had to go way below my Aerobic Threshold to restore aerobic levels of lactate. ###### **As described above, the reasons for this are several:** - Any activity level produces some lactate. If the blood is already saturated, even speeds at MLSS/Anaerobic Threshold are too fast to reabsorb excess lactate. I needed to slow considerably to see significant lactate clearance. - To speed the clearing process, *extremely* slow speeds are required. So in a race context, if you start too fast, your average speed for the event will be much slower. If you start without the burst, you avoid the initial flood of lactate and the slow reabsorption period. - Frustrated by the slow speed on race day, most people misunderstand the problem. They won’t go slow enough to correct it, which prolongs the problem and makes their race even worse. Their mistaken take away is that their **ANaerobic** capacity is too low and they need more intensity in their program when just the opposite is true and they need more AEROBIC capacity, or a bigger aerobic base. You’ll notice that my second-to-last interval was at 5 kilometers per hour, but very little lactate was reabsorbed. The change from the previous interval was only 0.1 mM. My first guess is that the speed was too slow for optimal reabsorption. There wasn’t enough muscle fiber recruitment to maximize the lactate recycling. Or I needed more time to get down to aerobic levels. I’ll have to wait for future tests to find out. ## But how can so-and-so start so fast? Some athletes are fast starters. They can burst off the line at close to race pace and maintain a high speed for the duration of the race. My hypothesis is that: 1. These fast starters are very slow twitch and don’t produce much lactate; or 2. They have very large “funnels” (aerobic bases); or 3. Both. For athletes that are very slow twitch, their anaerobic capacity is naturally low. They can start at a high speed without overwhelming their aerobic system. For a pure slow twitcher, it makes sense to use that advantage at the beginning of a race. The disadvantage of a slow twitcher is that they typically don’t have as much “kick” at the end of a race. In contrast, fast twitchers need to start slower and ramp up to race pace. “Slower” won’t feel slow; it just has to be slow enough not to overwhelm the aerobic system. The high anaerobic capacity of a fast twitcher is also an advantage, but only at the end of a race. In the beginning, it’s a liability. ### Caffeine: How a man can feel like a boy URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/caffeine-how-a-man-can-feel-like-a-boy/ Last updated: 2019-07-03T13:51:08.000Z The race season is over. Caffeine season has begun. In my training, I often do fasted, caffeinated runs first thing in the morning. Fasted sessions are one method of depletion training. Starting a training session with low glycogen stores stimulates aerobic adaptations in slow-twitch muscle fiber. Adding caffeine to a training session [increases the power output for a given intensity](https://ylmsportscience.com/2015/10/05/caffeine-ingestion-performance-in-a-low-or-normal-muscle-glycogen-state-by-ylmsportscience/?ref=scottsemple.com). I can run faster at a given heart rate or at a lower heart rate for a given pace. In short, it feels awesome. This video is a juvenile illustration of what it feels like, including: - The initial boost of performance (@ 1m17s); - The tempting hubris that always appears (@ 2m07s); - The greed that quickly follows (@ 2m20s); - What happens if the glycogen runs out (@ 2m30s); and - How it feels to get home just in time and eat a croissant (@ 3m03s). ### How to destroy aerobic capacity URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-destroy-aerobic-capacity/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T18:58:45.000Z I’ve had a high ~~an~~aerobic threshold for the past several years. Six weeks ago, I followed some bad advice and did way too much intensity for my fiber type. I almost blew up. I had one race during that period, and I finished several minutes behind my usual cohort. (Several minutes is a lot.) Now I’m struggling to finish the race season and looking at a lot of repair work to get back to where I was. My aerobic threshold heart rate is usually between 180-185 bpm. Today, it’s down to \~170. ## — > “There’s not a lot you can do to make an athlete better in the last month before a race. But there’s a lot you can do to make them worse.” > \~ [Renato Canova](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renato%5FCanova?ref=scottsemple.com) (paraphrased) A difference of ten to fifteen beats per minute may not sound like much. But my skimo race pace is in the high-180s. Racing for two hours at \~188 is a very different experience with an AeT of \~170 than with an AeT of \~183\. Races feel a lot harder and, afterward, recovery takes a lot longer. **Stupid is as stupid does** I have two principal interests: training and investing. I hired a coach so that I could be more effective and end the frustration of a split focus. The coach was from a different school of thought, but based on his resume, I was sure the differences would be small. He’s had significant success with many athletes at a very high level. I assumed there would be some common ground, and that I’d learn a lot. Despite some early warning signs, I [emptied my cup](http://wiki.c2.com/?EmptyYourCup&ref=scottsemple.com). I felt fantastic for two weeks. It was a lot more intensity, but it seemed to be working. But then I started to slow down. I could no longer match the paces that I had hit in the first few workouts. I told my coach that the workouts were feeling harder. I was having trouble completing them, and my pace was slowing. I received no response. Nothing changed in my workout prescriptions. He cut-and-pasted workouts from one week to the next. Generic programming was not what I signed up for. > “If you are not getting daily feedback, then you are not getting coaching. You’re getting a training plan applied to you.” I disregarded the warning signs, insecure about my knowledge in the shadow of his. I knew better than to do so much intensity, but I didn’t have the confidence to say so. Now I know better. **Stay the course** To make matters worse, the start of this season was perfect. Last summer, I tried several new training ideas that I responded to really well. I went into the winter feeling quite strong. In early December, a spot lactate test was one of the best I had ever had. Rather than \~2 mM in the low 180s, I was at only 1.8\. The day after that spot test, I had a new race experience, feeling stronger and stronger as the race went on. [Except for some tactical errors](https://www.scottsemple.com/do-it-before-youre-ready/), the race was perfect. Now I’m faced with one more race, low confidence, and the demoralizing prospect of rebuilding what I’ve lost. **The road ahead** The good news is that wasting over $1,000 may turn out to be the best training money I’ve ever spent. I realized that I know more about training than I thought. I know what works, what doesn’t, and why that’s the case. I know what my weaknesses are, and I know how to fix them. It’s just going to take another season to do so… ## — ![Image of intensity distribution for the entire season, before a good race, and before a bad race](https://i0.wp.com/scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Intensity-Breakdown.png?ssl=1) Intensity Distribution: A) all season, including races (so intensity in training is overstated); B) before the good race; and C) before the bad race. Intensity above aerobic threshold (AeT) increased from 4.11% (for the good race) to 9.73% (for the bad race), more than doubling. Speed work (Zone 9) decreased from 0.45% to 0.00%. NOTE: The zone system I use is unusual but effective. It’s based on the work of Renato Canova and has two big advantages: 1) it uses aerobic threshold as the reference intensity, not maximum heart rate; and 2) it emphasizes much more polarization of intensity than more traditional systems. The lower six zones do not directly correspond to a generic zone breakdown, but zones 7, 8, and 9 do correspond to the traditional zones of 3, 4, and 5, respectively. ### Skimo fitness tests URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/skimo-fitness-tests/ Last updated: 2025-01-17T12:53:50.000Z From April 2018 to March 2019, I'll be doing lactate tests to track my training progress. The following charts will be the results of those tests. Some of the charts below benefit from a comparison to the same workouts from last year. As I add more to the Google Sheets where I track this data, the charts below will automatically update. You can hover over the charts to see specific values. The test types are: 1. [Capacity Tests](#Capacity-tests) 2. [Maximal Anaerobic Capacity](#anaerobic-capacity) 3. [Local Muscular Endurance](#local-muscular-endurance) 4. [MLSS Bounce](#mlss-bounce) 5. [Race-Readiness](#race-readiness) (If you know how to make embedded Google charts less ugly, please [email me](mailto:scott@scottsemple.com).) --- ## Capacity Tests Pace profiles detail the results of Olbrecht-style lactate tests. The test is done roughly every six weeks. Each test reveals an athlete's current aerobic and anaerobic capacity. Aerobic capacity (AeC) is measured by the pace at \~2 mM of lactate during a sport-specific activity. (To make it most relevant to skimo, I set the grade of my treadmill to 25% and then track vertical meters per hour as the pace.) Anaerobic capacity is measured as the maximum lactate produced after a near-maximal sprint. (Yes, both are just proxies for VO2max and VLAmax, respectively.) The aerobic part of the test is done in steps of increasing intensity. Aerobic threshold is generally considered to be one millimole (1 mM) above an athlete's baseline lactate levels. That inflection point is usually around two millimoles of lactate but can vary between 1.5 and 2.5\. (At this point, I've done enough tests to know that my turnpoint is usually around \~2.3 mM.) The anaerobic part of the test is done with a near-maximal sprint of 45-90 seconds. Anaerobic capacity is the highest lactate value produced following the near-maximal sprint. Sampled every two minutes (after the sprint), it can sometimes take over nine minutes for lactate to peak. It can take that long for the lactate produced in the muscle to build up in the blood. ### Test details After each test, I write a blog post. In each post, I describe three things: what the new data suggests about my current fitness; what training led to the current results; and how those results will influence the next phase of my training. - [How to calibrate a treadmill](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-calibrate-a-treadmill/) - [Lactate Test #5: Progress](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-5-progress/) - [Lactate Test #4: Stupid is as stupid does](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-4-stupid-is-as-stupid-does/) - [Gradient: Small changes in angle, big changes in climb rate](https://www.scottsemple.com/gradient-small-changes-in-angle-big-differences-in-climb-rate/) - [Lactate Test #3: Moving in the right direction](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-3-moving-in-the-right-direction/) - [Lactate Test #2: What happened to aerobic capacity?](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-2-what-happened-to-aerobic-capacity/) - [Lactate Test #1: Where am I starting from?](https://www.scottsemple.com/lactate-test-1-where-am-i-starting-from/) --- ## Maximal Anaerobic Capacity Maximal anaerobic capacity is a workout-specific test. Each time I do a sprint workout, I test for peak lactate after the final sprint. In the chart, light grey lines are from my 2017 sprint progression. As you can see from the higher values, it was a record year. I haven't been able to match those lactate values since. (But for reasons I'll get into later, I think that's a good thing.) The red lines are this year's results. Lactate is still high, but much lower than last year. Considering other factors, it's actually a (counter-intuitive) improvement. I haven't written a post on the details, but I will shortly. (The difference in [CTL](https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/applying-the-numbers-part-1-chronic-training-load/?ref=scottsemple.com) values are a hint at the reason.) I've finished my anaerobic development for this season, so the chart won't change much in the coming months. I may add some follow up spot tests as I maintain anaerobic capacity. If I do, the chart below will show those spot tests. --- ## Local Muscular Endurance [Yuri Verkhoshansky](http://www.verkhoshansky.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) developed Local Muscular Endurance (LME) training. For weight-bearing sports, the LME protocol consists of short-duration, maximal and sub-maximal jumps with a greater-than-bodyweight load. The workouts can be brutal, but they're very effective. The theory is that the high load recruits more fast-twitch muscle fiber. Once recruited, the FT fiber is forced to work aerobically, both during the jumps and in the active recovery intervals. I've read a couple of Verkhoshansky's books, but I haven't found an explanation for why this works. It's counter-intuitive to have such a short interval regime help long-duration athletes. In his writing, Verkhoshansky mentions "the CP mechanism" (creatine phosphate), but without much explanation. I have a couple months worth of these workouts coming up, so the chart below will continue to evolve. Unfortunately, I didn't do any post-workout spot tests last year, so I don't have any 2017 data to compare to. Like Maximal Anaerobic Capacity, I haven't written a post on LME yet. I hope to shortly. --- ## MLSS Bounce Later in the season, I'll be doing a series of key workouts that alternate between two high intensities. The work interval in the series is greater than anaerobic threshold while the "recovery" interval is at anaerobic threshold. As I understand it, the theory behind an MLSS bounce workout is to generate a large amount of lactate during the work interval (above anaerobic threshold) and then force the muscle to reabsorb that lactate during the recovery interval (at anaerobic threshold). Ideally, it should increase my speed at MLSS and make my anaerobic threshold more aerobic (by increasing the amount of lactate that can be absorbed at that intensity.) If successful, this will show as decreasing lactate values at anaerobic threshold pace. | Session | Baseline | Warm Up | 1st Series | 2nd Series | 130% \~2mM Pace | Cool Down | | --------- | -------- | ------- | ---------- | ---------- | --------------- | --------- | | 14-Sep-18 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 5.4 | 7.8 | 8.5 | 1.1 | | 22-Sep-18 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 5.6 | 1.3 | | 27-Sep-18 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 6.2 | 1.8 | | 07-Oct-18 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 11.1 | 2.0 | | 15-Oct-18 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 7.7 | 1.9 | | 22-Oct-18 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 5.2 | 5.8 | 1.4 | | 28-Oct-18 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 8.0 | 1.7 | --- ## Race-Readiness Tests Lastly, and toward the end of the year, I'll be doing a series of readiness tests at race pace. The tests will consist of only a handful of intervals per session, but they'll be on the long side at \~10 minutes each. If my preparation between now and then goes as planned, lactate should rise in the first one or two intervals and then roughly plateau (within 10%). As I understand it, the pace of the plateau should be a good indication of my MLSS. Getting that pace as high as possible is the whole point of the nine-month speed funnel that I started in April. ### When Caution Cost Me URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/when-caution-cost-me/ Last updated: 2026-03-13T15:24:33.000Z At the beginning of December, I raced in the [Vert 180](http://vert180.blogspot.ca/?ref=scottsemple.com) for the first time, a lapped race at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. I hadn’t done the race before because I thought that I wouldn’t like the format. But I was dead wrong. It’s the most fun race that I’ve done. And not doing the race a long time ago was a tactical error that cost me this year. The format of the race is as many laps as possible in three hours. I held back for the first half hour because I wanted to finish strong. The race went well, but I held back too much in the beginning, and it cost me an extra lap. When I got home, I looked at my splits. They were gratifyingly negative, with the average lap time trending lower and lower throughout the race. ![Chart of lap times versus average](https://i2.wp.com/scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Vert-180-laps.png?ssl=1) But the second two laps were way above the average. I had missed the cut off for another lap by only two minutes, but holding back had cost me three. I didn’t do as well as I could have because of ignorance. If I had done the race years earlier, I would have been familiar with the format and could have raced a lot smarter this season. By waiting until I felt ready, I missed out on a tactical opportunity. My caution cost me. ### It's not the speed; it's the terrain. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/not-speed-terrain/ Last updated: 2023-12-10T20:56:29.000Z Last week, I went skiing with my friend Jordy, a competitive freeride coach. He teaches younglings how to throw themselves down very steep terrain and to do it quickly and in control. I put Jordy on [skimo skis](https://www.fischersports.com/ca%5Fen/alpattack-16402?ref=scottsemple.com), so that he could see just what we’re dealing with in races. He helped me a ton that day, and the main lesson that I learned is: Don’t turn so much. One of the techniques that we used, Jordy called “graduated straight-running”. To start, you put yourself as high on a slope as you are comfortable and then ski straight down without turning. On the next lap of the same run, you start a little higher than the first time. The next lap, higher still. Repeat until you run out of terrain or courage. The biggest advantage of straight-running–something I’ve told my sons to never do–is that it sets a new benchmark of acceptable speed. And once turning becomes optional, any turn you make brings you below that benchmark speed. As speed falls below the benchmark, comfort level rises. Overall, you can ski faster with less stress. After my day out with Jordy, I went to a local low-traffic ski hill to put this into practice. I chose a run with a steep start, smooth features, and a long run out. When the coast was clear, I pointed my skis straight down and held on. Lap after lap, I gradually increased the elevation of my start position. I was surprised to see that my top speed hit 99 kmh. Jordy would laugh at my pride. His top speed when he was racing was 148 kmh. I then tried a different run that was more varied in terrain and with a rougher surface. It was a *lot* scarier, so I was sure that it must have been a lot faster. But even after that run, the top speed shown on my GPS was still 99 kmh. When I got home, I downloaded the GPS data and compared my laps run-for-run. My speed on the scary run was only 84 kmh. It was 15% slower, but much more than 15% scarier. It dawned on me then that it’s not the speed that’s scary or daunting; it’s the terrain. On a steep, smooth slope with a long run out, there’s not much to be afraid of. On rougher, rolling terrain with less visibility, there’s a lot more to be cautious of. That’s sounds obvious, I’m sure. But when people talk about high speed skiing, they often remark on the speeds themselves: “Did you hear that the top speed in the Lake Louise race was 130 kmh?” But that doesn’t paint the whole picture. The proper follow-up question is: “What was the terrain like?” ### Expected value or expected growth? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/expected-value-or-expected-growth/ Last updated: 2026-02-08T21:03:23.000Z Expected value—E(V)—is the probability-weighted value of all possible outcomes of a random variable. In gambling or investing, expected value is defined by the monetary value of each outcome. Expected growth takes the same variables (outcome, probability, and payoff), and includes the effect of compounding. Of note: - Expected value and expected growth will never appear as an actual result. As with any average, the result describes a collection of observations, not necessarily an included instance in the sample. - E(V) is the weighted mean over an infinite number of trials; while - E(G) indicates the long-term trend, not a final outcome. - Expected value will always be greater than or (rarely) equal to expected growth; and - It’s possible to have a positive expected value, but a negative expected growth. **Most importantly, expected growth** **reveals that over-betting will always have more negative long-run consequences than under-betting.** ## What is expected value? Expected value is the sum of the weighted products of the possible outcomes times the probability of those outcomes. In gambling or investing, those products are multiplied by the payoff of each outcome to find an expected value in dollars. Imagine a fair six-sided die, but instead of a number on each side, there’s a letter (A through F). Next, imagine that the game is to bet on what letter will come up. If you roll your letter, you win 6x your bet. You bet on F. What’s the expected value of this bet? - What are all the possible outcomes? A, B, C, D, E, and F. (Six possibilities.) - What is the probability of each outcome? All are equal: 1/6 or 0.16 or 16.6%. - What is the payoff of each outcome? What is each outcome worth? - A through E are worth -1x. You’ll lose your bet. - F is worth 6x. You’ll win six times your bet if F appears. - So, what’s the expected value of the bet? $$E(V) = -1(\\frac{1}{6}) -1(\\frac{1}{6}) -1(\\frac{1}{6}) -1(\\frac{1}{6}) -1(\\frac{1}{6}) + 6(\\frac{1}{6})$$ $$E(V) = -1(\\frac{5}{6}) + 6(\\frac{1}{6})$$ $$E(V) = -\\frac{5}{6} + \\frac{6}{6} = 0.1\\overline{6}$$ So how much do you want to bet on each roll? It’s tempting to think that if the expected value is 0.16 that you should bet 16.6% of your bankroll. If you start with $100, why not bet $16.66 on the first round and 16.6% of the remaining bankroll thereafter? Because that would be *way* too much. ## What is expected growth? The shortcoming of expected value is that it doesn’t consider the effect of compounding over a large number of trials, especially the effects of negative compounding. That’s where expected growth comes in. The formula for expected growth is: $$E(G) = (1 + b \* f)^{np}(1 - f)^{nq} - 1, where$$ - 1 represents your bankroll; - *b* is the odds\* of the bet; - *f* is the fraction of our bankroll at stake; - *n* is the number of trials; - *p* is the probability of a winning outcome; and - *q* is the possibility of a losing outcome *(q = 1 – p)*. So for our letter-sided die above, the *expected value* of rolling an F is 0.16\. What is the *expected growth* if we bet a fraction of our roll equal to the expected value of 16.6%? - *b* is 6\. We’ll win six times our bet if “F” comes up; - *f* is 16.6% of our bankroll; - *n* is 1 for betting just once; - *p* is 0.16\. There’s a 1/6 chance that we’ll win; and - *q* is 0.83\. There’s a 5/6 chance that we’ll lose. $$E(G) = (1 + 6 \* 0.1\\overline{6})^{1(0.1\\overline{6})}(1 - 0.1\\overline{6})^{1(0.8\\overline{3})} - 1$$ $$E(G) = 0.9643$$ So the expected growth would be a factor of 0.9643 *each time* that we bet. **The trend will be negative.** Each time we play, our bankroll is expected to become 96.43% of what it was. If we start with $100, then after one roll, we’re expected to end up with $96.43. That was on one roll. But if we keep betting like this, it’s even worse. ## How does expected growth include compounding? The expected growth above was based on betting just once. If we continue to play this game, then the factor we came up with is multiplied with each roll. If we have the 1-roll growth factor, we can still find out what the most likely outcome is over multiple rolls. Over any number of rolls, we put the expected growth factor to the power of *n*, the number of rolls. So after 10 bets on this game: $$E(G) = 0.9643^{10} = 0.6952$$ ... our bankroll is expected to shrink by a factor of 0.6952. If we play this game ten times, our bankroll is expected to be 69.52% of what it was. Starting with $100, we’re expected to end up with $69.52\. And if we keep playing long enough, $0. $$E(G) = 0.9643^\\infty = 0$$ Will there be the occasional upward trend in our bankroll? Of course. Expected growth doesn’t predict each outcome. There will be “winning streaks”. But the long-run trend will be negative, eventually ruining us. This is why Las Vegas will always be successful. In the games that they allow, the house is on the side of positive expected growth over an infinite number of trials while individual players are betting on negative expected growth and hoping for winning streaks. In effect, rational people are betting against emotional ones. That bet always has the same outcome. With a growth factor of less than one, the long-run expected growth is negative. So the long-run expected value of betting *anything* on this game is $0. ## Fine, now what? Let's un-math this to make it more practical. Our lizard brains are often suckered into thinking, "There is a chance of a good outcome here. I want to play that game." This happens often in: - ... dating, with attractive but unscrupulous people; - ... investing, with exciting but profitless businesses (TSLA, anyone?); - ... backcountry skiing, with steep and pristine but perhaps-unstable slopes; - ... anything, where the upside provides some—but not enough—compensation for the risk. The important non-math takeaway is this: **The possibility of a positive outcome is not enough to take an action. Only the long-term effect of repeating the behavior can tell us the wisdom of a choice.** The trend (up or down) of a repeated action is what makes an action, even just once, a wise one or not. **So how do we find opportunities that, if repeated, would lead to an upward trend?** Believe it or not, there's a formula for that too. --- \* "Odds" in this context are gambling odds. If a game offers 6:1 odds, then a win will pay out six times the bet. In that context, "odds" does not mean the chance of success unless you change the odds into an inverted fraction like \\frac{1}{6}61​. However, it's unlikely that the house would offer a payoff that is symmetrical to the risk. Over time, they'd go broke. --- For more detail and examples, check out the following two posts from the Sports Book Review forum: - [Expected value versus expected growth](https://www.sportsbookreview.com/forum/handicapper-think-tank/29009-expected-value-vs-expected-growth-kelly-criterion-part-i.html?ref=scottsemple.com#post250260) - [Maximizing expected growth](https://www.sportsbookreview.com/forum/handicapper-think-tank/29841-maximizing-expected-growth-kelly-criterion-part-ii.html?ref=scottsemple.com#post258665) ### Can gambling theory stop overtraining? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/can-gambling-theory-stop-over-training/ Last updated: 2025-10-28T13:20:15.000Z **The [Kelly criterion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly%5Fcriterion?ref=scottsemple.com) calculates the best size bet in a game of chance. A key principle of the criterion is that over-betting will lead to ruin. Under-betting only slows the growth rate.** When selecting training loads, “over-betting” will always lead to over-training. “Under-betting” may slow progress, but consistent growth is more important. ## The Formula The Kelly criterion was derived in the 1950s. It allows a gambler to choose the best bet based on the probabilities of the hand they’re dealt. The bankroll will grow at the greatest compound growth rate, while eliminating financial ruin as a possible outcome. The formula is: %K = %W – ( %L / R ), where - %K is the portion of the bankroll that should be bet; - %W is the chance of a winning outcome; - %L is the chance of a losing outcome; and - R is the ratio of winnings to the bet (aka. the odds) In a coin toss with odds of 1:1 (%W = 50%, %L = 50%, R = 1), you’ll double your money if you win. But the Kelly criterion suggests betting nothing, because if you play the game long enough, you’ll be ruined. %K = 50% – ( 50% / 1 ) %K = 50% – 50% %K = 0% But what if it’s a biased coin? Let’s say %W = 60% and %L = 40%. Then bet 20% of your bankroll–$20 if you’re starting with a bankroll of $100. %K = 60% – ( 40% / 1 ) %K = 60% – 40% %K = 20% And if the odds are 2:1 for the same game, then you should bet 40% of your roll. %K = 60% – ( 40% / 2 ) %K = 60% – 20% %K = 40% By using the Kelly criterion, you’ll never bet 100% of your roll, and you’ll never bet anything for a negative expected profit. You can’t be ruined. But if you chronically bet greater than the prescribed portion, the eventual outcome is $0. In contrast, betting less than the Kelly portion will slow the growth of the bankroll, but it also reduces the volatility. ## What does this have to do with athletes? The Kelly criterion reminded me of the daily bets that we make with training loads. Every day, we choose how long and how hard to train. That’s our bet. If we always over-bet, then on a long enough timeline, the value of our fitness is going to zero. We’ll be over-trained and sitting at the bottom of a hole we can’t climb out of. If we always under-bet, we’ll sacrifice some gains in the short-term, but our fitness will continuously grow. (That is, until our volume bumps into constraints of time, lifestyle, age, or expertise.) > “Do as little as needed, not as much as possible.” > \~ [Henk Kraaijenhof](http://helpingthebesttogetbetter.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) ## How to apply it You’ve got a big day planned tomorrow. It’s going to be hard, but you’ve been looking forward to it. It’s getting close to race season, so the fun begins. The plan for tomorrow is 10x one minute at 130% of race pace. But when you wake up, your [recovery test](https://www.scottsemple.com/making-the-best-recovery-test-even-better/) is throwing red flags. Your youngest son has had a hacking cough for a few days. Your legs feel tired going up stairs. In effect, your bankroll the night before was $100, but this morning it’s only $20. Do you adjust your bet to be a smaller portion of your roll? Or, screw it, just bet the whole thing? > “Note that in some instances there is not enough of a good bet or investment to allow betting the full \[portion\], so one is forced to underbet, reducing somewhat the overall growth rate *and the risk*.” (p.22, emphasis mine) > > “The reason is that using too large \[a portion\] and overbetting is much more severely penalized than using too small \[a portion\] and underbetting.” (p.18) > > - Edward Thorp, [*The Kelly criterion in blackjack, sports betting, and the stock market*](https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/be7b/f0c837214dabd650f98b52902ad7f92c06d4.pdf?ref=scottsemple.com) ### How to run a 4-minute time trial URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-run-a-4-minute-time-trial/ Last updated: 2025-05-03T19:18:20.000Z **Over the past week, I’ve run two four-minute time trials. I botched the first one by starting way too fast. The splits of the second trial were much more consistent. To get reliable results, I recommend the following:** - Use an 8x 30-second format; - Set interval alarms for each 30″; - Start “slowly” (think 90%); - Increase the speed with each 30-second segment; and - Keep track of the intervals so that you can go all-out in the last 30 seconds. ## — ## Round One This week, I’ve been trying to do an uphill four-minute time trial. I need the time trial as a baseline for some speed training. I’d never done a four-minute time trial before, so I botched my first attempt. I started way too fast. I had to stop for a couple seconds midway through. My pace for the last minute was two-thirds that of the first. Afterward, I could taste blood. My peak lactate was 12 mM. For several days, I had a cough that made me sound like I had tuberculosis (aka. “effort lung”). That was the “smart like tractor” approach. I’m embarrassed to admit, it’s not the first time I’ve tried that technique. **The Smart-Like-Tractor Results** | **MINUTE** | **m/min** | | ---------- | --------- | | 1st | 184 | | 2nd | 150 | | 3rd | 124 | | 4th | 122 | | Average | 145 | ## — ## Round Two I took it easy for a few days and then tried again today. Rather than use four one-minute interval alarms, I used eight 30-second alarms. I planned to start out “easy”, speed up after each alarm, and then sprint for the finish. That worked much better. **The Smarter-Than-Tractor Results** | **MINUTE** | **m/min** | | ---------- | --------- | | 1st | 128 | | 2nd | 137 | | 3rd | 139 | | 4th | 165 | | Average | 142 | The results are interesting. My ending pace in the last 30 seconds of the second trial was only slightly slower than my starting pace in the first 30 seconds of the first trial: 174 m/min versus 180 m/min. That’s only a 3% difference. And I didn’t taste blood. And I don’t have any symptoms of exercise-induced tuberculosis. Today had several lessons: - It’s possible to get the same average speed by starting “slow” and going faster with each segment. It’s also less effort and less training stress. - The trick is knowing what that first “slow” speed is and how much to increase it each time. (I started the first interval imagining 90%.\*) - As I increased the speed of each interval, there were a couple times where I could feel the acidosis in my legs. The feeling was slight, and it felt manageable. It made me wonder: How long is it possible to maintain a slight feeling of acidosis without slowing down? What intensity would keep the acidosis feeling “slight”? (I’ve never done much speed training, so this is new territory for me.) - If I only have one shot at a 30-second near-maximal burst, where would I rather spend it? At the beginning of a sprint event or at the end? When my competitors are fresh or when they’re tired? (\* Thanks to [Scott Johnston](https://evokeendurance.com/coaches/scott-johnston/?ref=scottsemple.com) for the recommendation of 90%.) ### It's just dark. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/its-just-dark/ Last updated: 2019-07-03T13:52:08.000Z The power went out at 4am this morning. My brain is still on [Mallorca](https://goo.gl/maps/Cr39NcHsUiy?ref=scottsemple.com) time, so I was already awake, laying and staring in the dark, when the face of my alarm clock went black. I went downstairs, suited up, and pulled on my running shoes. Once outside, I started trotting down the middle of the street, my headlamp showing the way. Without it, it would have been impossible. Our neighborhood was pitch black. In the summer, putting on my running shoes before 6am is easier to stomach. The days are long and sunrise is early. This time of year though, as the season changes, my caveman brain is reluctant to venture outside. I have to remind myself, it’s no different than two months ago. It’s just dark. ### How to come back from an unplanned break URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-come-back-from-an-unplanned-break/ Last updated: 2022-03-28T16:13:55.000Z I think it was [Wolfgang Gullich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang%5FG%C3%BCllich?ref=scottsemple.com "Wolfgang Gullich on Wikipedia") who said, “The hardest part of training is starting.” He was close, but not completely correct. It’s true that starting to train is hard. It’s easy to procrastinate. But even worse is starting *over* because it’s often accompanied by regret or despair from what preceded it: an unplanned break. Unplanned breaks mean unplanned declines. Unplanned declines mean that [Sisyphus’ boulder rolls back down the hill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus?ref=scottsemple.com). It sucks. Here are a few things that will help: 1. **Restore your [aerobic capacity](https://www.scottsemple.com/how-to-destroy-aerobic-capacity/).** For every day missed, plan on one day of sub-AeT training before anything more intense. 2. **Forget about the past.** Restart your training log. 3. **Use a lacrosse ball** to loosen up any tight tissue. ## — I started my most recent training cycle on April 24th. Since then, it’s been a slow gradual build-up, but a very effective one. I was able to double my average weekly volume and triple my anaerobic capacity. I was looking forward to the next phase: shaping that volume and power into its most race-specific form. But then life intervened. ![Image of training progress and then sudden decline](https://i1.wp.com/www.scottsemple.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/The-Suck.png?ssl=1) Stress led to a nasty 10-day cold. I watched my chronic training load plummet. On easy runs, my heart rate was ten beats higher. It wasn’t the first time that stress and illness have sabotaged my plans. And I doubt it will be the last. But learning from previous episodes have given me three tools that help me get back on the horse. ## For every day missed, schedule one day of sub-AeT training. With any layoff, the thing that atrophies fastest is aerobic capacity. The amount of mitochondria from five weeks of work drops by 50% after ten days of sedentary rest.\* The good news is that aerobic capacity restores itself faster than when it was first built. You may have seen this phenomenon in friends with a lifelong training history. They can “get back in shape” faster than someone who is getting off the couch for the first time. (Although it takes just as long for them to achieve new levels of fitness.) ## Forget about the past. Restart your training log. Perfectionism and realized loss aversion are demoralizing. Feeling weaker sucks. In these situations, quitting completely often crosses my mind. But in the end, that option is even more revolting. To work past the despair, I trick myself. I act as if my training program has started anew (which, to be honest, it must.) Although it’s a trick, it’s not in vain. The residual fitness that is still present is a better base to start from than when the cycle first started. By restarting my training log, the daily reminder of where I was is gone. I can focus on the slow, incremental increases that will reverse the decline. ## Use a lacrosse ball to loosen up any tight tissue. Rather than feel sorry for myself while I’m sick, it’d be much more productive to use a foam roller or a lacrosse ball. With time off, my legs and hips tighten up. Being diligent about keeping them loose would be much wiser. But in anger, that’s hard to do. Once I start training again, that unloved tissue often causes problems. My IT bands in particular usually trigger knee pain when I get back to training. Rolling my IT bands with a lacrosse ball is excruciating, but well worth it. Along with gradual increases in workout duration, the knee pain eventually disappears. ### Why I Stopped Using HRV Apps URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/why-i-stopped-using-hrv-apps/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T15:54:27.000Z Originally published [at Uphill Athlete](https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/why-we-stopped-relying-on-hrv-apps/?ref=scottsemple.com) in May 2017 as a collaboration with Scott Johnston. I loved the idea of an app that could tell me to train or not to train, to go easy or go hard. I liked the convenience of one train-or-don’t-train metric. It would take away the second-guessing and keep me healthy as well. Right? Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. ## **The HRV Apps** I started with Elite HRV (because it’s free) and then moved on to ithlete (because it’s nicer to look at). Elite HRV distinguished between sympathetic and parasympathetic biases in the central nervous system. ithlete’s Pro account gave more nuanced prescriptions with its Z-scoring. But for what I needed—reliable daily training advice—neither was foolproof. Elite HRV recommendations didn’t seem to vary that much. ithlete often told me to train when I felt tired. ## **The Test** Late last year, I did a daily comparison between Elite HRV, ithlete, and an [orthostatic heart rate test](https://uphillathlete.com/rusko-orthostatic-test/?ref=scottsemple.com). The HRV apps are quick and simple, but an orthostatic heart rate test is far less convenient. It takes longer and it requires ongoing interpretation, but I’d had good results with it in the past. After variable results with the apps, I was willing to try something more cumbersome, as long as it was effective. In particular, I wanted to look for false positives in any of the three methods. While a false negative—telling me to rest when I could train—could lead to undertraining, a false positive would be far worse. False positives—telling me to train when I should rest—would lead to overtraining. That would mean lost training time due to excessive fatigue or illness or both. The test method I used was: - After waking, I put my on heart rate monitor, lay down, and let my heart rate stabilize; then - I did the 2.5-minute Elite HRV test; then - the 55-second ithlete test; then - the \~4-minute orthostatic test. The orthostatic heart rate test consisted of: - Recording my average heart rate over the first 2 minutes; then - Standing up and recording my peak heart rate; and finally - Recording my heart rate 1 minute after the peak. ## **The Results** Each day I recorded the recommendations of each test method. I added up the “votes” from the tests to come up with a total for the day. As the weeks passed, it became clear what the character of each method was: - The orthostatic heart rate test (OSHR) was the most conservative. It regularly gave me “red lights,” indicating that I should rest. “Yellow lights” were even more common, suggesting easy recovery days. - Elite HRV had a more mixed response, not as pessimistic as the OSHR and not as optimistic as ithlete. I like that Elite HRV distinguishes between sympathetic and parasympathetic biases in each reading. - ithlete was the most aggressive and, therefore, the most concerning. A training readiness test should adopt a do-no-harm policy. ithlete appeared to prefer a train-as-much-as-possible policy. Two instances in particular confirmed my suspicions about the HRV apps, one with ithlete and one with Elite HRV. In each instance, I was particularly fatigued and it was obvious that I needed to rest. In contrast, the apps recommended that I train. ![A photograph of a climber on a steep wall wearing an orange backpack](https://uphillathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hrv-apps-IMG_20140704_115717-1024x768.jpg) Image by Scott Semple ### **ithlete** Of the two HRV apps, ithlete was definitely the more aggressive in its recommendations. It rarely gave me the red light, while the other two methods were more varied. I did a lactate test on November 12 where my heart rate reached over 95 percent of maximum. (My max heart rate is over 200, and I reached 199 during that test.) Three days later, I was still tired, and it felt obvious that I needed a rest day. Both the orthostatic test and Elite HRV agreed. Not only did ithlete recommend a training day on November 15, it did even worse. It suggested that my training should be high intensity. ithlete doesn’t distinguish between biases in the central nervous system. That may explain the bad recommendation. ithlete seems to interpret sharp spikes in variability as enhanced adaptation rather than *too much* variability. I observed this on several occasions. It then recommends high-intensity training, the worst advice possible. ### **Elite HRV** Unlike ithlete, Elite HRV distinguishes between sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. Each recommendation includes a sign of sympathetic or parasympathetic bias. If Elite HRV sees a sharp spike in HRV, then parasympathetic activity is elevated, and it says it’s time to go easy. At first, I thought that Elite HRV did a good job of avoiding false positives, but it finally gave one in December. From December 11 to 13, I was on a mountain bike trip. Even before the trip started, I knew I hadn’t planned very well. I was too tired. It was a four-day trip, and we would be riding hard twice a day. When I woke up on the fourth day, I knew that I had overdone it. I felt horrible, and I worried about getting sick. The orthostatic test and ithlete pointed to a rest day, but Elite HRV recommended training. This is the “strong like bull, smart like tractor” approach to training: Even when you should rest, keep pushing! I went into this trip tired, and I knew it. The only readiness test that was faithful to how I felt was the orthostatic heart rate test. The other two were far too optimistic and, combined with my dumb attitude, dangerous. ![](https://uphillathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hrv-apps-graph-1024x230.png) > In May 2019 Eric Carter, a member of the US National Skimo Team and a PhD candidate in physiology, recently sent us a study on HRV. Over five years, the study used 57 national-level Nordic skiers and compared their training loads with HRV readings. Their conclusion? "\[We saw\] no causal relationship between training load/intensity and HRV fatigue patterns." ### **The Orthostatic Test** Why have I assumed that the orthostatic test didn’t produce any false positives? Because whenever I felt like junk, the orthostatic test always raised red flags. It never indicated training when I was excessively fatigued. With “do no harm” as the priority, the orthostatic test was the only test that was faithful to that paradigm. However, the orthostatic test does have a couple of disadvantages. First, the orthostatic method can take over 5 minutes while the apps are much shorter. Second, readings are often uncertain “yellow lights,” even when I think I feel fine. That requires some careful interpretation to make the healthiest choice. But I don’t see the longer test or the judgment calls as a disadvantage. I’d much prefer to be healthy and undertrained than fall over the edge into extreme fatigue and illness. > “It is remarkable how much long-term advantage \[we\]have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent.” -Charlie Munger, Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway ![](https://uphillathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hrv-apps-IMG_20140719_134714-768x1024.jpg) Two climbers on the Kain Route on Mt. Louis in The Canadian Rockies | Image by Scott Semple ### Putting Humpty Dumpty back together again URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/putting-humpty-dumpty-back-together-again/ Last updated: 2025-01-15T16:14:51.000Z Read more at Medium: [Putting Humpty Dumpty back together againOn October 24th, 2016, I hired a coach. I had previously made so many mistakes that I was left with a declining work capacity and worries that I may not be able to train again. Months later, my coach…![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/fit/c/152/152/1*8I-HPL0bfoIzGied-dzOvA.png)MediumScott Semple![](https://miro.medium.com/focal/1200/632/31/53/1*5LOeDmOEj16ptGvbO8mO7w.png)](https://medium.com/the-jalopy-project/putting-humpty-dumpty-back-together-again-c22970f14b5d?ref=scottsemple.com) ### Jan Olbrecht & the Magic Bullet Theory URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/jan-olbrecht-the-magic-bullet-theory/ Last updated: 2021-05-02T13:57:55.000Z Read more at Medium: [Jan Olbrecht on The Magic Bullet TheoryJan Olbrecht has a Ph.D. in physiology and biomechanics. He was one of the early proponents of the theory that lactate is not a negative byproduct of glycolysis, but a fuel source for the aerobic…![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/fit/c/152/152/1*8I-HPL0bfoIzGied-dzOvA.png)MediumScott Semple![](https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1*N3x1bDinIaySWxoFAlzo0A.png)](https://medium.com/@scottsemple/jan-olbrecht-on-the-magic-bullet-theory-2d93eeed05b6?ref=scottsemple.com) ### Is sponsorship a sin? URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/is-sponsorship-a-sin/ Last updated: 2023-12-12T18:02:54.000Z **UPDATE:** After some dialog with editors of some of the climbing magazines, I see now that the first few paragraphs of this post may seem critical of the magazines. That is not what I intended. My beef is not with the magazines, but with opportunistic climbers of questionable integrity and the brands that support them. It’s not the magazines’ responsibility to police our sport. It’s my hope that the climbers themselves will do that, and then the brands will follow suit. --- After 15 years of climbing, I rarely read climbing magazines. I have no subscriptions. If I do pick up a magazine, I usually only look at the pictures. The words make me nauseous. My experienced climber friends are the same way. Some of them haven’t looked at a climbing magazine in years. The more you climb, the less you’re interested in reading the same recycled stories with the same characters smiling from new faces. And the less you can tolerate the self-promotion that comes from white lies and self-serving exaggerations in hopes of becoming (or staying) sponsored. And those indulgences are rampant and widespread. If sponsorship isn’t backed up by a legitimate accomplishment that is significant to the sport, then being rewarded for something insignificant is sad and undeserved. And it’s immoral, because it creates a facade, and facades are lies. This happens more often than you might think. Many of the athletes you often see in climbing magazines are phenomenal at self-promotion, but range from average to crap at actually climbing. Ice, mixed and alpine climbing have the worst offenders. (Rock climbing is usually too consistent, popular and objective for lies to last long.) Truth is, many climbers are sponsored for what they say, or how well they’re known, rather than for what they’ve done. The problem stems from the fact that the “athlete” is the performer, but also the judge and the journalist. A lack of objectivity and a lack of integrity combine to create opportunistic self-promotion masquerading as journalism. The result is that average achievements beget above-average attention. (All those “Hot Flashes” you read, written in the third person, are often written by the climbers themselves.) Few other disciplines would tolerate such a lack of objectivity, but no direct access to the “feats” of accomplishment makes us dependent on it. Sponsorship is only defensible when the degree of self-promotion is equal to or less than the significance of the achievement. When Good Climber does something Rad and says, “This is Rad”, that’s fine. Kudos. Too often though, Wanna Be Famous does something mediocre and says, “This is Rad! Really! I swear!” The sad fact about our sport is that genuine devotees are the exception, not the rule. True athletes, masters, and visionaries do exist, but only some of them are sponsored. Most are not. Disclosure: Yes, I was a sponsored climber. I resigned from all of my sponsorships in December 2007\. I am happy I did. ### Guy's gone. URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/guys-gone/ Last updated: 2025-06-17T16:04:52.000Z It’s almost 4am and I’m crying in a rocking chair, trying to get my 2-month-old boy to go to sleep. Yesterday, Guy Lacelle died in an avalanche in Hyalite Canyon. For some reason it’s sadder when I hold a baby. Most people know that Guy was a great ice climber. That’s not news, although it probably makes his death more newsworthy to the layman’s press. His climbing was impressive, but there are many other things that made him Guy. These are the things that I’ll remember. - **Guy had dogs.** Lots of them. It probably qualified as a pack. You could tell that his dogs saw him as one of them, the alpha. With the older ones, he didn’t have to call their names or chase after them. They did what he wanted and the communication was silent. And when one of them died, it hurt him. - **Guy had a temper.** He was a great climber but even he got frustrated at times. He kept his temper under wraps, but if let loose, an impressive stream of French Canadian profanity came forth. - **Guy had a big smile.** I looked forward to seeing him in the winter in Canmore. Recently I was thinking I should touch base and see when Guy’s coming back to town. But I didn’t and I regret that. - **Guy was competitive.** He was 54 when he died, but he’s been in competitions against people half his age for the last decade, maybe longer. I think he liked it too when — if we went ice climbing with him — the younger climbers would insist on bringing the screws. (Guy did most of his ice climbing by himself, so he was comfortable with few or no ice screws.) - **Guy was incredibly motivated.** Even in his fifties, he would often climb nine or ten days in a row and then only take one rest day. Like many of my friends, I’m in my mid-thirties and I haven’t done that in ten years. - **Guy was open-minded.** As climbing changed, he didn’t resist it or hang on to the past. He was excited about every new development and what he could learn from it. It was great to see, and I really respected his approach. - **Guy had crazy hair.** He was balding on top and he let the rest grow long. It gave him a crazy, classic bushman look. I don’t think he was aware of it, but it was part of his charm. If you climb long enough, the death of people you know is guaranteed. For me, other deaths have been sad, but Guy’s death was the first to make me angry. He had taken more risks than most of us and come out unscathed until now. I would have preferred to think that he had earned some kind of free pass. I would have preferred he remain invincible. If it had to happen, then I’m glad it was something out of his control. Guy prided himself on knowing his margin of safety; he only thought a solo was successful if he was in 100% control at all times. If his accident had come from a popped tool or a sheared crampon, that only would have pissed him off. And as one of the world’s most accomplished soloists, dying because he slipped would only be sensationalist fodder for the always-ill-informed media. The last time I asked him, he had logged over 5,000 pitches of ice since he started ice climbing, most of them without a rope. He kept track of every pitch since he started. I like the idea that that climbing record can stay perfect and intact. --- The baby boy in my lap is asleep now; that deep, drooling baby sleep. Our 6-year-old is asleep in the next room. If the boys become climbers, they will see Guy’s name in alpine journals and guidebooks. They’ll see his photo on my wall. I’ll tell them the stories of his achievements. I will be proud to tell my sons that I knew him. --- > For me, \[my legacy\] will be the trees. I’m getting close to plant a million trees. --- **Update: 2009-12-15** A few links to news and info about Guy and the accident: - [News coverage of the accident](https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/world-class-ice-climber-lacelle-dies-in-hyalite-canyon-avalanche/article%5F4ca18ae9-df35-5f79-9576-27a437a89d0c.html?ref=skimoschool.com) - Doug Chabot’s [video explanation of the avalanche](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1yaiLI5LXc&feature=player%5Fembedded&ref=skimoschool.com) - [An interview with Guy](http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/wfeature-solo-lacelle?ref=skimoschool.com) on Alpinist.com from July 2008 - [The Alpinist tribute video to Guy](http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web09f/wfeature-guy-lacelle-tribute-video?ref=skimoschool.com) - [A video of Guy tree-planting](https://vimeo.com/8176463?ref=skimoschool.com), summer of 2009 ### The Talent Myth URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/the-talent-myth/ Last updated: 2025-12-24T16:51:17.000Z A friend and training mentor once told me, “The secret of the pros is that they train in secret.” For a while that made sense. It seemed that where performance is highly optimized — and where optimization is highly coveted — it would make sense that methodology would be closely guarded. But secret methodology is the province of world-class athletes; not of participants; nor of enthusiasts. Most people — if sufficiently motivated, and if unencumbered by lame [excuses that they assign to genetics](https://www.scottsemple.com/genetic-potential-excuses-matter-more/) — want to know the secret that distinguishes the pros from themselves. The real “secret” of the fit, the fast and the “talented” is no secret at all; it’s a much harder pill (than genetics) to swallow. And no one will accept it because of what it demands: real commitment in the form of regular, consistent, indefinite practice. And real practice demands devotion. THE PROS TRAIN. And they train consistently and indefinitely. In other words, they commit. People love to say that they don’t train (or practice or study…) They think it makes their mediocre performance more impressive. Or they use a hero as an example, saying he or she doesn’t practice either. But the truth is that anyone who becomes really world-class good at anything has devoted a large part of their lives to that thing — often to the exclusion of all else. They may not call it “training” or “practice;” the actual labels are irrelevant. It’s the time spent that counts. “Practice” and “training” are not timelines and diet plans — although those are effective parts of it. Real training means committing to the process: showing up at the keyboard or behind the lens or in the ring or on the rope, and doing it religiously, even when you’re tired, even when you’ve got nothing to say, even when it’s too cold, too hot, too hard. People wish they had talent. They see it as a practice-free ticket to crowd-stunning skill. But talent doesn’t exist. “Talent” doesn’t get results; practice and devotion do. Was Picasso gifted from birth with the talent to become an artistic genius? Or was he gifted with the tenacity to become a genius at anything? As he wobbled down the street on his first bicycle, did his mother see her son’s uncommon ability, or his uncommon focus and determination? What led her to predict that he would be great? Was he out-of-the-womb a brilliant finger-painter? Or was he just stubborn? ### Under the Influence URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/under-the-influence/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T19:33:26.000Z ✍️ This story first appeared in the Summer 2003 edition of [Alpinist Magazine](https://www.alpinist.com/?ref=scottsemple.com). I was sitting at my desk, tapping at the keyboard, when my roommate Will came downstairs. "Hey, what are you doing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday?" he asked. The spark in his eyes was bright. "I'm supposed to pose some handstands for Brad on Wednesday and go climbing with Colleen on Thursday. Why?" "I had a look at Howse yesterday, I think we should go up there." My hands hovered over the keyboard. I slowly started to grin. Every climber who has driven by Howse Peak in the Canadian Rockies has looked up and wondered. Several fantastic ice lines spill over the imposing cliff band that bisects the east face. Below the cliff band are a hundred meters of snow and two pitches of engaging ice. Above, two prominent gullies allow access to the ridge, and from there the summit. Over four days in March 1999, Scott Backes, Steve House and Barry Blanchard climbed a new route on the east face of Howse Peak. Their line, *M16* (IV WI7+, A2, 1000m), included pitches of WI6, WI7 and WI7+. Hose described his experience on the crux as "being in a different place." Backes and Blanchard put it on a pedestal of forty years of combined alpine-climbing experience, and the team trumpeted their feat in every publication that would give them ink, including the 2001 Canadian Alpine Journal (CAJ), in which Blanchard wrote a ten-page feature article. At the time, I skimmed the article, but then put it aside. The photo of Scott Backes on the fourth pitch might as well have been of Neil Armstrong on the moon. But I was intrigued by the photo caption: "M16−twice as hard as M8!" It made my lip curl. Even though the route didn’t top out, *M16* was held up as the ideal of hard alpine climbing in North America and soon became the bright light for the dark-colored glasses of the Brotherhood, a colorful, brooding fraternity of alpine climbers. Sometimes described as a "mutual admiration society," the Brotherhood loves climbing together—and loves writing about it just as much. Phrases like "sissy-assed bolt things," "sponsor-hungry FNGs\*" and "Talk - Action = Zero" are standard fare. \[\* FNGs = #$%^in' New Guys\] Will waited for me to answer. I tried to synthesize three years of thought in three seconds. Twice as hard as M8\. The Pitch. WI7+. The hardest lead Barry had ever seen in the mountains. The Brotherhood’s brightly burning torch. "I’ll reschedule," I said. --- I first met Will Gadd in Marble Canyon in the winter of 2000\. I’d been swinging tools for a year and was wasting a lot of energy in the infamous X position. No magazine, how-to book or video described anything similar to the way Will moved. I remember thinking, "He’s doing it wrong." A couple of pointers from Will that day corrected my perception of how to climb steep ice. In March 2002 I put Will’s tips to good use and beat him in the Canmore Ice Climbing Festival speed competition. Later that month we enchained Polar Circus (V WI5, 700m), The Weeping Pillar (V WI6, 350m) and Curtain Call (IV W16 125m) in thirteen hours Kevin Mahoney arrived in Canmore in late November, 2002 Kevin is a talented climber from New Hampshire who has done a lot of climbing in Alaska—-a lot of it hard and a lot of it fast. He did the second ascent of the Slovak Route (a.k.a. the Czech Direct) on Denali with Ben Gilmore in 2000\. Later on, he’d had to stomach unprovoked criticism from the Brotherhood after Scott Backes, Steve House and Mark Twight did the third ascent in a sixty-hour push. When Howse Peak was put on Kevin’s plate, he dug in. We had three potential objectives. The "magic line" is a 250-meter smear that leads into the leftmost gully of the upper pyramid of Howse Peak. The ice never touches down, and overhanging drytooling is the entrance exam. It remains unclimbed. Option two was a steep line to the right of *M16*. Option three, *M16*. We planned to be on the face for three days. Gear and food were carefully laid out on the garage floor. "What do you guys think of the rack?" Will asked. "Let's leave some pins," I said. Kevin looked at Will. I hate carrying sh#t. I went back in the house and looked at the *M16* route description again. "Rack: Full set of cams, full set of stoppers, ten to fourteen pitons including six knifeblades, ten to twelve ice screws of all lengths including stubbies, jumars, etriers and ‘No bolts!’" Fine then. Big rack. Steve House had told Kevin that they left most of it on the face getting out of there. We’d probably need it too. I grudgingly grabbed my portion—the screws, half the draws, a few pins and ten eight-mil self-drives with ultralight hangers—and threw it in my pack. When the shopping list grew to include bolts, I considered not going. I knew that if we placed a bolt up there, I’d hate it as much as Barry and Kevin Doyle hate the bolt Kevin placed on the Andromeda Strain. Taking bolts seemed as silly as standing by a puddle while the Brotherhood drove a bus toward it. But I had never been a proponent either way, so why the sudden burst of righteousness? I put the bolts in the very bottom of my pack. In my mind I was the guardian and could decide whether or not they came out. Over the next three days, I would entertain the idea of accidentally dropping them. I hated them as much for their weight as for the credibility they would rob from us if they were placed. Fifteen minutes of tap-tap-tapping was all the motivation the Brothers would need to shout to the rooftops. --- Three years in the mountains had taught me how to move, but growing up in a wheat field hadn’t prepared me for an 1100-meter face. It would have been impossible to explain to relatives in Saskatchewan. Climbing was what you did to get up the ladder to the loft of the barn; winter was for riding a toboggan behind a snow machine; camping was done out of an RV with beers in a nearby cooler. As we approached Howse Peak, though, neither Will nor Kevin showed any hesitation, so neither did I. By midday on day two, we were above the lower slopes and had climbed two time-consuming pitches of horrendous snow/ice. My education was in full swing. I had learned that getting up at an ungodly hour is a good idea, that my favorite piece of gear is a ringing baby angle and that if you wanna eat, it’s a good idea to bring a bowl and spoon. As we followed Kevin's tracks toward the crux cliff band, I looked up to my left and saw it: the mighty *M16*. I stopped plodding and scanned it like the Terminator looking for Sarah Connor. My hands didn't tremble, but my brow knit so hard I've still got the wrinkle. What was WI4 on the first ascent was now a clear varnish of verglas over black limestone. The WI5 pitch was partially hidden behind rock. And way up there, high in the sky, was The Pitch. Barry had said that there were, perhaps, ten men in the world who could have led that pitch without breaking it, without falling. I wondered if any of them lived in New Hampshire, or Canmore. I grabbed the rack from Kevin and moved farther up the slope. Option number one, the magic line, reminded me of donut glaze. Probably brittle. Definitely screwless. Some other time, I thought. Option number two, the steep 120-meter smear to the right of *M16*, loomed over us. The first half was thin, a meter wide and ended with a vertical curtain before sneaking in behind a pillar. The pillar poured from an overhang and stood proud for five meters. Above, the smear continued and stopped below a groove. I pounded in a big angle and a Spectre and nested them to two crappy stubbies. I took a photo of my handiwork, as much because it was the first Spectre and tenth piton I had ever placed as for the fact that it would have held a fall. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/12/F1080015.JPG) Standing at a belay below the upper headwall of Howse Peak | Photo by Kevin Mahoney Kevin and I decided the new world order of winter grading while Will went up on pitch number three. For Will, the "F\*#k that, I'm sending," element runs deep. After an hour and a half, he was stemming between the rock and the pillar, trying to get a belay in compact, black limestone. The gear was decorative at best. I waited for my moment of truth. "Send up the bolts!" would force me to make a decision. The ring of a piton delayed my conflict. Will climbed higher, arched his back and pounded pins into the roof. He finished it off with a screw into the vibrating pillar. The advantage of climbing with equal partners is that everyone can lead every pitch. The disadvantage is that everyone wants to. From the bottom of the middle snowfield, it looked like the disappearing ice and the groove would be the crux. No one mentioned it, but the pregnant silence was enough to say what we all were thinking. "I wouldn't mind leading the next one," Kevin said, as he and I simulclimbed up to Will's belay. I piped up. "Me too!" Other climbers benefit from divine intervention. God knows who should be on the sharp end so He puts all the hard pitches on the appropriate blocks. We weren't similarly blessed, so we did it the old-fashioned way. We all said we wanted it, but Will had most of the rack, was tied into both ropes and tends to be quite assertive. Kevin belayed, and I, being most qualified from experience, sorted Will's belay cluster. The rope fed out quickly while there was real ice to swing at, but soon slowed to a creep. Kevin and I talked for awhile about how stubbies had ruined mythology, but stopped as the shivering worsened and our legs went numb. In late October 2002, before Steve House jumped in his car to make the long drive from Mazama to Canmore, his well-caffeinated fingers initiated a cyberdiscussion on whether or not sport mixed climbing would have any impact on alpine climbing. By the time he parked his white CRV in front of Barry's place, in-boxes across North America were full. Response ranged wide. Mark Twight wrote convincingly on developing "mental muscle." Geoff Powter started his hilarious, Hastonesque contribution with, "Everybody sucks but me." Michael Gilbert quoted Shakespeare. And Steve signed his original e-mail with "T - A = 0." We dangled there under the roof while Will led a seventy-meter pitch of detached snow/ice into a mushroom-filled rock groove with no good gear. He faced twenty-meter falls and battled for two and a half hour, so I had some time to think. As much as I didn’t want bolts with us, I wouldn’t have been on Howse Peak without having clipped hundreds before. Like most M-climbers, several seasons of clip-ups had steepened my learning curve and restructured my perceptions of winter terrain. "Steep ice" had become an oxymoron, verglas was a welcome tool stabilizer and burning through eight picks a season had made me comfortable with the funky, the thin and the wobbly. There is another perspective, one championed by the Brotherhood, that looks through the eye of the hurricane. A climber is defined by how calm (and functional) he can remain in the face of danger. The "lethal art" argument cites bushido, the warrior code of the samurai, as its foundation. Piolets are traded for katanas, crampons for tabi boots. The severity of the consequences determines the value of the action. But the lethal art analogy has two major flaws. First, the jeopardy of battle is a function of the skill of the swordsman. The greater the skill of the samurai, the more skilled his opponent must be to be considered deadly. For me, 5.11X may be the gateway to enlightenment. For Leo Houlding, it’s piss. Dangerous and hard are not synonyms. Second, before samurai went into battle, they trained for years in dojos with wooden swords. A controlled environment allowed them to hone their skills until they were adequately prepared for battle. Human development has not changed. Sophistication of technique only happens in an unthreatening atmosphere. Applied properly, bolts and the crag environment are the dojo of the twenty-first century. Above all, if fair-means climbing is the goal, both the mental and physical elements must be trained to ensure genuine progress. Avoiding one undermines advances in the other. A lopsided climber is either withered by mental atrophy as his biceps bulge, or, as his biceps shrink, he is doomed to repeat the same dangerous pitches year after year. Climbers of the future will wield both swords, the wooden and the steel. "You think too much," Kevin said. Very true, I thought. "HHNNNAH!" Will yelled. "WHAAAT?" Kevin screamed. No answer. "HHNNNAH" "OFF BELAY!" Kevin yelled, but kept him on until the ropes starting moving. "Jesus. Good work, Will," I said as I neared the top of the fourth pitch. We were right; the ice ended below the groove. A curious hold that resembled a deck of cards was a key part of the crux drytool sequence. Will had had to clean mushrooms out of the groove as he went. His last gear was more than ten meters below. The groove continued with marginal gear for twelve meters to the belay. As I got close to him, I could see that he was whole-body vibrating. There wasn't any espresso, Nicorette or Red Bull within 200 kilometers, so I assumed he was hypothermic. "D-d-dude. You k-k-kept your p-p-pack on?" Will said. "You're sick," Kevin told Will as he clipped in to the belay. "If I never have to lead something like that a-g-g-gain," Will said, "I'll be hap-p-py." We spent the next hour shivering as Kevin led off into the night. "Don't climb anything you can't down climb," I said as he took off. Will was soaked from drytooling through the steep snow mushrooms, and I wanted my sleeping bag. Knowing that the traverse ledge was so close made for a difficult decision. What we thought was going to be a low-angle snow groove was surprisingly steep. The top of the snow groove was sheltered from the pounding spindrift, and a magical combination of wind and water content had plastered thirty centimeters of powdery fluff to 5.7 rock. After a valiant effort at technical wallowing with no end in head-lamp sight, Kevin made the right call and came back down. I thought of Barry's *M16* article from the CAJ. "I worked the stove in agony, knowing that retreating would relegate the greatest pitch I'd seen in twenty years of alpine climbing to the catacombs of history." Barry, Scott and Steve decided to continue through a savage storm to salvage Steve's pitch. When a twelve-meter cornice blocked their exit onto the ridge, they turned to descend. On the way down, Barry was hit by a falling snow mushroom that ripped his pack from his shoulders. Blinded and disoriented, Barry thought he was tumbling down the face. "In reality I was snap-tight to my leash, rag-dolling in the surge and hanging from Scotty's beautiful bent and overdriven piton." I had no idea where Will's pitch would stand in the annals of alpine history, but I didn't want to throw it away. I've belayed him on M12 and seen him fly up seventy meters of rotten WI6 in twenty minutes. Pitch four just added to the list. I didn't want the risk and effort to go unrecognized. But the first tier of Abraham Maslow's psychological hierarchy of needs stresses food, shelter and warmth. The later it got, the more our focus shifted from making a statement to decreasing the gap between wanting a sleeping bag and being in one. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/12/F1060010-1-.JPG) Descending Howse Peak the morning after our first attempt | Photo by Kevin Mahoney "That's definitely the hardest pitch I've ever seen alpine climbing," Kevin said in the truck on the way home the next day. Will and I started to laugh. --- I ran into Barry outside his house as I walked downtown to get groceries. "Hey, how's it goin'?" he asked. "Good. Whatcha been up to?" "Oh, doin' some safety and instructional work on a commercial. You?" "Not much," I said. I didn't say we had just tried Howse. I didn't say I'd taken a photo of *M16*. I'd seen The Pitch, but I hadn't been on it. The idea of saying "we tried" felt lame. I ran into him a few days later at The Summit Café. "Hey, man! I heard you were out impersonating an alpinist!" Barry said with a good natured smile. "Cool! I didn't know you'd been up there when I saw you the other day." I tried to read into the grin, the Santa-Clause-meets-Beelzebub laugh and the big belt buckle that says "Bubba". Me: a speed ascent, a link-up, and two new mixed routes in the Bugaboos. Barry: the first ascent of Andromeda Strain, the North Ridge of Rakaposhi, the North Pillar of North Twin, the West Ridge of Everest, the Nanga Parbat epic, a solo of the north face of Kusum Kanguru, the Infinite Spur on Mt. Foraker, Striving for the Moon on Mt. Temple, the North Face of Howse Peak in 1988, *M16* in 1999\. Cowboy boots. A long mane that starts gray and ends black. "And I heard about the bowl," he said, with a nerve-racking chuckle. I laughed too. I was proud that a bowl and spoon had never occurred to me. "I use a cut-off, plastic bladder," he said. "Everything collapsible: bowl, cup, fuel bottle, everything." "Cool. Thanks for the beta." --- Turning around on Howse nagged at me. Were we justified or just uncomfortable? With a blazing furnace and a full fridge, I soon forgot the uncertainty, the shivering, and the run-outs. "I'm starting to wonder if we should go back," Will said, obviously on the same page. I quickly wrote a long e-mail with the reasons we should go and the strategy we should us: "The face has no line to the summit (or the ridge for that matter). Snow conditions are great. The ice up there may never improve. We know exactly where to go, where to belay and what gear to use. We can break pitch four into two to lessen it physically and mentally. Most importantly, if we don't go now, time could erase from our minds the subtle details that'll make us fast. AND: bolts. I don't think we should take them. I'm not getting infected, but I think that comparisons will invariably be made−and it would be all the ammunition 'they' need." I lied about not getting infected. Discussions with Barry and Steve had done more than unclench my fist. The wall had cracked, and I was curious what was on the other side. If a dragon guards the treasure, it's less likely to be stolen. Take away the dragon and it's no longer treasure. Will wanted to be off the face early Saturday at the latest. He was in the running to win a local indoor-bouldering series and didn’t want to miss the final event. "I’m not bailing for a bouldering comp," I said. "By that time we’ll either have succeeded or failed, so it won’t matter anyway." Unless we end up bivying a pitch below the summit on Friday night, I thought. We left the bolts behind at 5:30 a.m. on December 5\. A few hours from the truck and we were across the lake and up the glacier, snugging up harnesses and snapping on crampons. Stopping meant shivering. Despite a solid approach, my hands were numb. Alpine climbing sucks, I thought. We barely spoke. On our first attempt the first pitch consisted of dry, detached snow/ice. Crampon placements were academic; tools had to be equalized. Seven days later it was worse. Every tool tap knocked something off, and every tested tool sheared. After nervously fetching around trying to find a decent placement (while I wondered how much stretch there would be in two, twelve-meter lengths of 8.1-mil half rope if he fell), Will did what any modern mixed climber would do: he made a well-placed swing, and the wobbling curtain sheared off. Behind the ice was an arching M7 torque crack that led into a series of positive edges. You could almost hear the, "Oh yeah! Drytooling!" that echoed inside our skulls. All three of us exhaled at the same time. The torque crack was harder and steeper than the crappy ice we had climbed a week earlier, so we defaulted to the necessary evil of hauling packs. I climbed up, clipped into Will’s anchor, untied and took over belaying. Will clipped the packs in, grabbed the free rope and shot up the slope to Pitch 2\. For the snow, we abandoned the simulclimbing we’d used on our first attempt and soloed instead. Judging from Barry’s slides, the second pitch was different than it had been in 1999\. Steve had climbed the left-hand of two smears. We only had one option: the top of the right-hand line flowed into the bottom of the left. The ice, like that on the first pitch, was thinner and more detached than a week before. Rock gaps−where we had kicked off the ice on rappel−required some drytooling and long lock-offs to pass. Will made short work of it. Kevin and I seconded the pitch together, lifting out Will's handful of pieces along the way. With Kevin above me and my tools in some decent ice, I frontpointed a rock edge and gave the detached plate a normal kick at its anchor point. The pool table-sized sheet Will had been hanging on ripped off and tumbled down the slope. We moved up the middle snow slope, and Will untied as Kevin and I kept climbing. Will volunteered to be the bivy architect while Kevin dealt with the "ice" pitches three and four. "You mind if I take the next one?" I asked. "No, go for it," Kevin said. The best pitches blend challenging climbing with runout, suspect gear. It's a magic margin where the first line of defense is movement skills and protection offers a questionable backup. The closer the pitch can come to the line without going over it, the more rewarding it is. I place eight pieces in seventy meters; three of them would have held a fall. Intermediate tool placements and long lock-offs were required between better sticks. It started to snow. I gritted my teeth and started belaying Kevin. Failing once is educational. Failing twice makes for a good reason to smash a television. My hips and back had just started to protest as Kevin arrived. "Nice work," he said. We had discussed breaking up pitch four. I told Kevin I didn't care, but secretly hoped he'd cut it short. Will was content never to lead that pitch again, but both Kevin and I were chomping at the bit. Kevin Mahoney just keeps going. He swings, scratches, and if it's good, pulls. And swears. We both suffer from strain-induced Tourette's Syndrome. When the going gets tough, the tough curse. I grinned while Kevin condemned the terrain. Like the week before, the rope fed out quickly while there was real ice to swing at, but soon slowed to a creep. I pulled my parka zipper tight around throat and curled in to belay. Down below, a frequent powder cloud burst from inside the snow slope. Will was doing his best impression of a golden retriever going after a gopher. I shifted from one side to the other, letting one leg recover while the other went numb. Kevin yelled from the upper anchor after an hour and a half. The snow had stopped, and light spindrift cascaded over the entire wall as I rapped down to the Hound Dog Hilton. Kevin crawled in shortly after I did: a skinny half rope hung from each pitch above. The perfect spindrift machine−loose snow, light wind and the shallow backside of Howse Peak−went to work all night. We brewed, ate fat, and Will and Kevin went to sleep. I put a hot water bottle between my legs and "new sleeping bag" on my list. I led out in the early morning black and moved onto the first anchor to clean the line and claim some gear for the upper pitches while Will and Kevin continued up. We were reclimbing pitches three and four, trailing Tiblocs for self-belays. It was fast, but how much of a belay it offered I wasn't sure.\* Halfway up the fourth pitch, I waited. The orange warmth I had envied the day before was, for a few minutes, mine. I looked down to the spot on the road from where I had looked up many times. Note to self: "Do more alpine climbing." \[\* The Tibloc is an ascender intended for emergency use only and is not designed to catch falls. The use of a 10-mil rope minimum is recommended if there is any risk of a fall.−Ed.\] "Off!" Will yelled from above. When I got to Will, he was on belay and ready to go. I clipped one piece, passed the gear and started cleaning the anchor to rap status as he left. By caterpilling, we moved almost as fast as simulclimbing, but setup our rap anchors ahead of time. Will took over from Kevin midway up the exit gully, and I from Will for the finish. Instead of groveling through the cornice in the main gully, Will had chosen a steeper, more direct line to the left. When the *M16* crew was in the gully in 1999, they said the cornice overhung by twelve meters. They had gone as far as they could to salvage The Pitch, but faced with the cornice, they turned around. Months later, Steve House wrote an article about the climb in Rock & Ice. His final words were: "We finished the route. None of us are wanting." The final pitch was a rock groove covered in deep, faceted snow. My frontpoints sunk through sugar until they caught on rock. I stood up and dragged tools and hands through snow until they snagged. I found a couple of decent pins on the way and bashed a nut into a flaring crack just before the cornice. A weakness broke the smooth elegance of the cornice’s underbelly. I punched at it with a tool and the snow powdered away, revealing a one-meter hollow. I groveled my way in, stemming with a foot on rock and my opposite hip on a wind-packed blob of snow, then punched a hole in the ceiling and stuck my head through. Suddenly, I wished I had my sunglasses. The sun glared off of snow, black limestone and the thick cloud that filled the Howse River Valley below. I was on a narrow prow. On the other side thirty meters of air dropped into the next gully. I squirmed out of the hole and stood on top, plunged my axes and started walking down toward the clouds. "CLIMB! WITH! ME!" I screamed back down the hole. I kept the ropes tight as Kevin and Will seconded the last pitch. We summited at 2 p.m. Five hours, fifteen rappels and a thousand plunge steps later, we were boot-skating across Chephren Lake, eerily looking through the ice by headlamp. Will and Kevin chattered like two twelve-year-old boys talking about the new girl in class. I smiled and thought about the scalding shower and the clean sheets that were waiting for me at home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1e/91/1e9127f2-f969-4138-8780-9ddc8ea0e6cf/content/images/2025/12/128_-_howse_peak_NF_-_gallery_corrected.jpeg) The north and northeast faces of Howse Peak, annotated with its established routes. **Howse of Cards* is #4 in dark red with the corrected variations from **M16*. | The original photo is the free download version from [Mont Blanc Lines](https://www.montblanclines.com/products/howse-peak-north-face?ref=scottsemple.com). Climbing isn't a performance art, but talking about it is. My impression of the importance of our route, *Howse of Cards* (VI M7- WI6 X, 1065m), grew out of the number and scope of the congratulations we received. E-mails from climbers I'd only read about and comparisons to famous routes I'd never seen made me wonder: Would we fall into the same trap that previous parties had? Howse Peak Lesson #4386: "Beware the intoxication of an adventurous accomplishment." Howse Peak was spectacular, inspiring—and less than I expected. After the fuss over *M16*, I expected to be convinced that WI7 existed, to see God or to shatter my mind and run away in terror. I learned more in five days of climbing than I have in whole seasons, but at it most basic, the route had been a fun, challenging project with two friends. Surprisingly, I didn’t discover the meaning of life and I didn’t burst into flame. I just smiled. I ran into Barry several times in the following weeks. Christmas parties and a self-congratulatory slideshow conspired to put us face to face. "At any other time in my life I would have turned around," he said one night about the blizzard they had climbed through. "And you know, there’s another meaning to *M16*." I raised my eyebrows, tightened my grip on my beer bottle and leaned in to hear. "The only way you get a guy over forty to climb hard," he said, laughing, "is by putting a gun to his head!" --- Will and I made it to the bouldering comp on Saturday. I felt like a zombie: content and useless. I paid more attention to the spandex landscape than to the subtleties of crimpers. Will did well enough to win the series overall. "I’m up next," I said to an over-eager fifteen-year-old, butting in line for problem number twenty-five. "Do you mind if I go?" he asked. "I wanna send it before the time’s up." My lip curled. He fell off. I sent the problem; as I snagged the final hold, I looked down. "DO YOU KNOW WHERE I SPENT THE LAST TWO DAYS, KID?" I imagined screaming into his young, cocky face. "YOU DON’T HAVE A CLUE!" I smiled. I felt like an alpinist. ### Maximum Speed ⚡ URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/maximum-speed/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T12:51:51.000Z In intensity, Maximum Speed is second only to Maximum Strength. Because the intensity is so high, the work efforts have to be very short. (If they were longer, the intensity couldn't be as high.) Because the efforts are so short, common measures of internal load don't have time to register. Peak readings of lactate or heart rate will lag the effort. So the external load of Maximum Speed, and its impact, are often underestimated. ## The What A well-executed Maximum Speed workout will include: 1. A *thorough* warm up; 2. A *low* total volume of work; 3. *Very* short work intervals; 4. *Sub*\-maximal efforts; 5. Long, *passive* rests; and 6. An *effective* cool down. ### Protocol 1. **As always, warm up.** A thorough warm up is easy, gradual, and at least 15 minutes (but more likely 20.) Near the end, throw in a few, 3-second, fun-fast bursts. 2. **Work intervals should be 12 seconds or less.** Durations are shorter when starting the progression (below) and gradually lengthen over several sessions. To bridge between Maximum Speed and Anaerobic Capacity training, the Speed Endurance intervals (below) will be used. 3. **Each rep should feel about 95%, not 100.** The physical benefits come from the effort, but the technical benefits come from your form. 95% is close enough in effort without sacrificing technique. When in doubt, be a do-well, not a try-hard. 4. **Every rep should be followed by a 2-to-3-minute *passive* rest.** To maximize their effect, a full recovery is required between reps. So don't just do something; sit there. Read, write, meditate. (Just don't waste it thumbing social media.) 5. **Follow the workout with a super easy cool down.** After a Maximum Speed session, the bloodstream will be flooded with lactate. An easy cool down is a great aerobic capacity exercise because it forces the aerobic system to reabsorb the lactate while active. #### Per sport - **Mountain runners** should use hill sprints instead of flat sprints to minimize the chance of injury. Flat-track speed isn't required for trail runners, so it's not worth the injury risk to train it. - For **runners and skimo racers**: - For "moderate" incline reps, use a hill that is 10-15% (between 6 and 9 degrees); - For "steep" incline reps, use a hill that is 15-20% (between 9 and 11 degrees). - For **mountaineers**: - **Steeper inclines could be used** because speed during a goal event—compared to runners and skimo racers—is much slower and strength demands are higher (due to carrying heavier laods.) - For sports that require a few strides or strokes to get up to speed—**cycling, skimo, nordic skiing**—adding a couple of seconds to the start of each interval will be helpful; - **Cyclists** will need to experiment with gear selection in order to not spin out the gear before the end of the interval. Avoid shifting mid-interval. And "steep" vs "moderate" can be ignored. ### Progression If an athlete is adapting to each training session, then workouts should progress and not repeat. (But greed to move on is not a valid reason.) Repeating workouts makes sense if the athlete is not progressing or has had an unplanned break from training. #### For maximum speed Frequency will depend on what other training priorities are in development and the anaerobic capacity of the athlete. If speed is not the only focus, or if anaerobic capacity is low, the following weekly progression\[1\] can be used: | **Week** | **Reps** | **Work** | **Incline** | | -------- | -------- | ------------ | ----------- | | 1 | 6x | 8s | steep | | 2 | 8x | 8s | steep | | 3 | 10x | 8s | steep | | 4 | 4x | 10s | moderate | | 5 | 8x | 10s | steep | | 6 | 5x | 12s | moderate | | 7 | 10x | 10s | steep | | 8 | 2x each | 8s, 10s, 12s | moderate | 👟 Using Training Peaks? Check out [the Maximum Speed weekly progression](https://www.trainingpeaks.com/training-plans/other/winter-sports/tp-481739/maximum-speed?ref=scottsemple.com). (Subscriber? [Email me](https://www.scottsemple.com/contact) for a discount code.) #### For speed endurance After the base work of Maximum speed, the following workouts can be used to transition into anaerobic capacity work. | Week | Reps & Work | Incline | | ---- | ------------------------------------- | -------- | | 9 | 8x 10s steep, 1x 20s moderate | mixed | | 10 | 4x 8s, 1x 20s | moderate | | 11 | 8x 10s steep, 2x 24s moderate | mixed | | 12 | 2x 8s, 2x 10s, 1x 12s, 1x 20s, 1x 24s | moderate | | 13 | 8x 10s steep, 4x 24s moderate | mixed | | 14 | 4x 12s, 1x 20s, 1x 24s | moderate | 💡 Using Training Peaks? Check out [the Speed Endurance weekly progression](https://www.trainingpeaks.com/training-plans/other/tp-481738/speed-endurance?ref=scottsemple.com). (Subscriber? [Email me](https://www.scottsemple.com/contact) for a discount code.) #### For maintenance The following can be used bi-weekly for maintenance: | Option | Reps & Work | Notes | | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | | A | 3-5x 8s steep, 2x 20s moderate | More speed focused, good for tapers | | B | 2x 8s steep, 1x 12s steep, 1x 20s moderate, 1x 24s moderate | More speed endurance focused | ### Periodization When to work on Maximum Speed depends on the timing and priority within the current macrocycle. #### For speed and anaerobic capacity To develop speed and increase anaerobic capacity, Maximum Speed would happen at the beginning of a macrocycle and then go into maintenance mode. #### For maintenance In maintenance mode, Maximum Speed can be the "spice" at the beginning of an aerobic capacity session\[2\] (better execution, better neuromuscular response, etc) #### For performance In the Performance phase, Maximum Speed is best done at the end of a training session to practice good form when fatigued, maintaining higher control entropy. #### For peaking During a pre-event taper, a handful of Maximum Speed intervals can help ready the athlete for their event. In this context though, rests should be active. ## The Warning The bane of the training world is the "strong like bull, smart like tractor" approach. It's a well-oiled revenue machine for the health and fatness industry, but it's not effective for realizing true performance potential. **Making a Maximum Speed workout feel harder than intended will be *less beneficial*, not more.** This will be especially tempting for slow-twitch-dominant athletes that don't have the power to hit really high speeds.\[3\] Fast-twitch-dominant athletes will be less tempted because they often have the power to make a hill sprint workout quite tiring. ### Things to avoid 1. **Don't skip or shorten the warm up.** With a lower core temperature, you won't be able to generate the necessary power; 2. **Don't extend the work intervals.** (There's no such thing as a 30-second sprint.) You won't be able to maintain the right level of power for the entire work interval; 3. **Don't go as hard as possible with each effort.** The first couple of reps will be too fast, the third might be about right, and then the rest will be too slow; 4. **Don't add reps until you feel exhausted.** By really digging deep, your ego will thank you, but your recovery will not. Subsequent workouts will be slower and harder than they should be; 5. **Don't shorten the rest.** Without a full recovery, you won't be able to repeat the right intensity enough times (even if it feels like you can); 6. **Don't use active rests.** This will reduce the amount of circulating lactate, undermining the stimulus and sacrificing the aerobic capacity stimulus in the cool down; 7. **Don't use a flat track** (if you're a mountain runner.) This will unnecessarily increase your chance of injury, perhaps pull a hamstring, interrupt the training process while you recover, and backtrack in your general fitness levels; 8. **Don't skip the cool down (or make it demanding.)** By going too hard, you may end up increasing the lactate levels in your bloodstream rather than reduce them, wasting the opportunity to train the lactate shuttle. If you can choose between feeling like The Incredible Hulk or thinking like Bruce Banner, choose Banner. Unless it's race day. Then it's The Hulk's turn. ## The Why How can mountain athletes—with events that are measured in hours rather than minutes—benefit from work intervals that only last a few seconds? Similar to Maximum Strength training, Maximum Speed training has several benefits: 1. **Learn to move fast while relaxed.** Relaxed movement is more efficient and faster than when tense and straining; 2. **Increase muscle fiber recruitment.**\[4\] 1. Very high loads "wake up" fast twitch muscle fiber that may not participate otherwise. As I understand the theory, once a fiber is recruited, it's available for future work, increasing the available fiber pool; 2. An increased fiber pool allows for paces to be maintained longer. When slow twitch fiber becomes exhausted or depleted and checks out, the other fibers in the pool can join in, maintaining the same pace; 3. Having higher-power fast-twitch fiber available can also offer a finishing "kick" at the end of an event (like at the finish of a skimo race.) 3. **Improve mechanics.** 1. For runners especially, using hill sprints for a Maximum Speed workout will force a fore- or mid-foot foot strike and proper hip extension while also minimizing the chance of injury; 2. For skimo racers, sprints will force better coordination of pole pushes and leg thrusts; 4. **Increase leg stiffness (in runners).** A big part of running performance is determined by "elastic energy return." A stiffer leg better resists impact and returns more of that energy to forward motion.\[4\] 5. **Increase leg strength.** With increased leg strength, stride length may also be increased for a given exertion level. If distance increases per stride, then the speed is also increased for that same level of output. 6. **Increase cardiac stroke volume.** The sudden increase in heart rate—potentially 100 bpm between the starting line and 30 seconds into the rest period—"is the most effective stimulus to develop the heart's stroke volume, increase the amount of oxygen conveyed to the muscles, and ultimately increase maximum oxygen uptake."\[5\] 7. **Stress the central nervous system above normal training levels.** 1. Most endurance training is—or *should* be—well below anything that would be described as "stressful." Stressing the nervous system to such an extreme can help with the perception of fatigue.\[6\] 2. The long, passive rests within the workout allow the CNS to fully recover and be ready for the next rep; 8. **Lay the groundwork for anaerobic capacity (AnC) training.** 1. Some say that the passive rests prevent lactate from accumulating, but I suspect that they haven't measured it. It's the opposite; passive rests allow for higher residual lactate values. I suspect this happens because the aerobic system is less active and not reabsorbing excess lactate. 2. Once work intervals get longer than Maximum Speed durations, there's a powerful effect on anaerobic capacity. Maximum Speed workouts are a good introduction to that training, if it's required. "Another way to stress the anaerobic metabolism is to lengthen the rest periods(the rest must be passive) and to shorten the intervals (\[12 to 36 seconds\] maximum)"\[7\] 9. **Challenge the aerobic system with high levels of lactate (via the cool down).** 1. After a Maximum Speed session, the blood stream will be flooded with high levels of lactate. A big part of aerobic capacity is the ability to process excess lactate and use it for fuel. A long, easy cool down following a Maximum Speed workout can train the body to process the excess lactate and improve the "lactate shuttle," a key component of endurance.\[8\] ## The Well The *Arrowhead Endurance* protocol for Maximum Speed was adapted primarily from Steve Magness' sprint protocol in *The Science of Running.* The differences are: - All efforts are specified by duration rather than distance; - Terrain is steeper for more sport specificity; - A warning against using a track or flat terrain. When relevant, additional information was adapted from [the usual suspects](https://www.scottsemple.com/book/influences-acknowledgments/), many of whom are listed below. --- **Footnotes** 1. Prescriptions have been adapted from Steve Magness' sprint training in *The Science of Running*, modified for mountain athletes (for inclines and durations), and influenced by the other coaches mentioned herein. ↩︎ 2. Jan Olbrecht, *The Science of Winning* ↩︎ 3. Scott Johnston, et al, *Training for the New Alpinism* ↩︎ 4. Steve Magness, *The Science of Running* ↩︎ 5. Renato Canova, *Marathon Training: A Scientific Approach* ↩︎ 6. Steve Magness, *The Science of Running* ↩︎ 7. Jan Olbrecht, *The Science of Winning* ↩︎ 8. Jan Olbrecht, *The Science of Winning* ↩︎ ### Influences & Acknowledgments URL: https://www.scottsemple.com/influences-acknowledgments/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T21:55:09.000Z ## Influences ### [Scott Johnston](https://evokeendurance.com/coaching-scott-johnston/?ref=scottsemple.com) Starting in 2005, Scott mentored me in endurance theory, advised me on training during my skimo days, and coached me from October 2016 to March 2017\. Scott pointed me toward the people below in addition to engaging in our 17-year dialog on endurance training. At last count, that exchange was 2,700 emails long. My skimo training and research was book-ended with the publication of Scott's books: *Training for the New Alpinism* was published in March 2014, a month after my first skimo race; and *Training for the Uphill Athlete* in March 2019 , a month before my last. After skimo racing, I worked as a coach for Scott and Steve House at Uphill Athlete. More recently, I rejoined Scott, working with him again at Evoke Endurance. ### [Jan Olbrecht](https://www.scottsemple.com/jan-olbrecht/) #### Core distinctions - Capacity vs. power - Anaerobic capacity (AnC) - Anaerobic power (AnP) - Aerobic power (AeP) - Aerobic capacity (AeC) #### Training principles - Training needs to be "steered", not predetermined. - More is not more; development should be strategic. - Effective training follows a “Goldilocks” prescription that mimics event demands. - Aerobic capacity (AeC) should be developed as high as possible. - AnC, AnP, and AeP should be developed only to the level required by the event; excess development in any one will handicap the others. #### Measurement and inference - Accuracy matters more than precision: “It’s better to be roughly right than precisely wrong.” (Buffett) - Frequent testing that aids inference is preferable to infrequent testing that promises absolute answers. - Lactate testing is fast, accessible, and field-deployable, but requires interpretation. - VO₂max testing may be more precise, but is expensive and lab-dependent. ### [Renato Canova](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renato%5FCanova?ref=scottsemple.com) - Start general, at the extremes, and move to specific - First duration, then work speed from both beginning and end - Use internal load to progress capacity and power - Use external load to stabilize and fine tune performance ### [Yuri Verkhoshansky](https://www.verkhoshansky.com/?ref=scottsemple.com) - Broaden the available fiber pool by "waking up" fast-twitch fiber, then train them to work aerobically ### [Steve Magness](https://www.scienceofrunning.com/about?ref=scottsemple.com) - Training volume should increase for the Capacity phase, plateau for Power, and then decline for Performance; - Never leave anything behind; and - Read all of the above!