From Geek to Freak
How to Plan, Prepare, & Perform as a Skimo Racer
Skimo racing is geeky, and the fitness is freaky.
Over six years, I compiled training theory, philosophy, and best practices 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 facilitated several personal bests, winning races, and FKTs. Now I’m building those methods into a framework that anyone can use.
Here you'll find draft chapters of From Geek to Freak, 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.