Fitness

Reader Athlete June 2009: Hank Stokes

Age: 32
Residence: Burlington
Family: Girlfriend, Gretchen Fry
Occupation: Registered Nurse and student
Primary sport: Cycling and Telemark Skiing

Vermont’s Best Après-Ski Hangouts

Our steady supply of fresh powder and steadier supply of fresh microbrews means Vermont’s après-ski scene is now in full swing.

Spring Training Refraining, April 2009 issue

If you work at a bike shop then you’re probably like me: a seriously die hard, hard-core cyclist to the core. And there’s no time of year where this is more apparent than in the late winter/early spring, weeks before your first ride.

Reader Athlete December 2009: Anthony Moccia

Age: 27
Residence: Derby
Family: Wife, Cija, and dog, Tyson
Occupation: Inside rep for Louis Garneau
Primary sport: Cycling and triathlons

VS: Who introduced you to cycling?

Big Fish Eat Little Fish

The fall is a great time of year to switch your angling tactics to streamers.

Denizens of the Dirt: Cyclocross Bikes Move into Roadie Territory

At the beginning of a group ride early this summer, I looked around and realized I was the only one there with a pure road bike. The change seemed to happen overnight; all of a sudden my skinny tires and fancy wheels were passé. It was as if everyone else had adapted to a new environment, and I was left flopping along the ground, using my fins as feet. I was a roadie in a land of cyclocrossers.

Preparing for Your First Triathlon

Triathlons are multi-sport events that include swimming, cycling, and running. They are exhilarating, intense, and fun. If you are considering your first triathlon, chances are that you already swim, bike, or run, or perhaps a friend recently raved about his or her triathlon experience and you want to give it a go yourself.

Green Gear for Summer, May 2009 Issue, by Brian Mohr & Emily Johnson

It is refreshing to see so many businesses and manufacturers in the outdoor industry finding creative ways to reduce their environmental footprint. While we feel that the most environmentally friendly gear is that which has been previously used, neglected, or otherwise restored, we still occasionally have to buy something new.

Muscles Not Motors: Winter Camping Gear Review

I thought I’d throw a curve snowball at you this month and instead of reviewing skis, snowshoes, or warm fuzzy earmuffs, I am reviewing three items that you will need for a less common but nonetheless thrilling winter activity: winter camping. You can leave the bug spray at home.

KELTY APEX FORAKER 15º SLEEPING BAG

What’s With the Anaerobic Threshold? 

The term anaerobic threshold is widely used in a number of training environments. Coaches, athletes, trainers, and the like commonly refer to the anaerobic threshold as a focal point to determine the intensity of training. Consequently, much focus has been placed upon accurate measurement of the anaerobic threshold and its interpretation for use in training programs.

Around the State - Miles for a Mission Comes to the Marathon

Burlington, VT—Marathons provide a popular fundraising opportunity for anyone who wants his or her hard work to benefit others. In the case of the Vermont City Marathon and Marathon Relay, held in Burlington on Memorial Day weekend, the high number of relay teams forming in order to raise money for charities has led the organization to create their new Miles for a Mission program.

Ultra Rides: A Long Time in the Saddle

Some of us practically tear a rotator cuff patting ourselves on the back after a particularly long or arduous bike ride. We’re pretty damn proud when we finish a century. But there is a cadre of cyclists for whom 100 miles is a mere spin in the park.

Between a Rock and a Running Shoe

Sometimes I think I have a rock in my head. A fairly large one—granite perhaps, or maybe Gabbro—lodged in the part of my brain where reason is broadcast. My lovely fiancée disagrees, or pretends to disagree, but she’s a sweetheart, so she has yet to convince me otherwise.

Reader Athlete February 2010: Monique Pelletier

Age: 45
Residence: Lyme, NH
Family: Daughter, Jordan Legacy; three cats Olin, Cocoa, and Sage
Occupation: Fitness professional
Primary sport: Yoga Fitness

VS: How did you discover yoga?

­Winter Feet

The winter season engenders a youthful spirit in all of us. Well, in the beginning of the season, anyway, before we get tired of the gym and other indoor workouts. If we are outside, the bright sunny winter days in Vermont can provide a much-needed dose of vitamin D. There is increased evidence that vitamin D is needed for good health and prevention of many chronic diseases.

Backcountry Skis for 2010

Skis designed with the downhill-oriented skier in mind—lift served and backcountry, telemark or AT—continue to feature ever-widening dimensions, more durable construction, and control-enhancing improvements to the tip, tail, and overall shape of the ski. Several skis in this review feature “rockered” or early-rise tips.

Gravity and the Bicycle

Somebody asked me recently, “This downhilling, it’s not real biking, is it?” No, it’s not real, just like lift-served skiing isn’t real skiing. Make sure to tell Bode.

Zuttermeister Chronicles June 2009

In this month’s report, I’ll give you an update on my training and share some tips to make your century ride safer, more enjoyable, and less exhausting.

Skiing and Me

Growing up in 1950’s Baltimore, outside of movies, I’d never seen a ski.

When I left for college in cold and mysterious Vermont, my mother’s friend gave me a pair from her college days. They were ancient even by 1958 standards: taller than an NBA center, with primitive beartrap bindings, and lacking that newfangled invention, steel edges.

The Dog Dilemma, April 2009 issue, by John Morton

I love dogs!

Snowshoe Racing: The Ultimate Winter Exercise

For most people, snowshoes conjure up an image of a leisurely trek through the woods: quiet and slow. However, a number of athletes are taking snowshoeing to the next level. In the winter, when running shoes become impractical, many are taking to the snow and running in snowshoes races, of which there is no shortage.

Plan Now for Statewide Sports Directory

Editor's Commentary

2009 Winter Gear

After a cool summer and a relatively early first frost, we have to wonder what Old Man Winter will have in store for us this season. We remember drinking lemonade in our shorts while building a deck at our house in December 2001. We also remember the truly world-class powder skiing we enjoyed back in late October 2005.

Reader Athlete July 2009: Neil Van Dyke

Age: 55
Residence: Stowe
Family: Wife, Carol; three children, Sarah, 22, Forrest, 20, and Lia, 16
Occupation: Owner, Golden Eagle Resort
Primary sport: Hiking and Nordic skiing

Bob Matteson - Setting Records at 92

He set the world record for 92-year-olds in the 400-meter distance in June, 2008, at the Vermont Senior Championships in Burlington. In July, he broke the one- and two-mile marks in Colonie, NY. Less than a week later, he broke the 200-meter world record at the New England Masters Championship. In September, he was off to Maine where he broke the record for 800 meters.

The Ice Festivals Cometh

New England winters, I find, can be a bit bipolar. Depending on the year, you’ll get one personality… or another. In some seasons, conditions may favor skiers. In other seasons, they may favor ice climbers. Sure, in any given winter I’ll partake of my share of both activities, but conditions will certainly favor one over the other.
This year (2009/2010) happens to be an El Niño winter.

Listening to Your Instincts

Exploring pain has been on my agenda for several years. Pain can be a good thing, especially if it is heeded. Too often, we have learned to block pain out, and this is when problems can start to happen. My email in-box is always filled with notes and letters from readers and patients, and I do my best to respond to them all in some way.

Training with Kids

Urban legend has it that Bill Koch rollerskied up Mount Greylock pulling his daughter on a mountain bike. With a rope around his waist, Koch double-poled eight miles uphill, towing his 70-pound child. Was this extreme strength-training, childcare duty, or both? Even if the story isn’t true, it illustrates how far some parents will go to get a workout.

Time is of the essence

Stand-Up Paddling

Imagine standing up in a canoe with an extra-long paddle in hand, finding your balance, and paddling away. Anyone who has spent considerable time in a canoe has probably tried this while navigating shallow backwaters, or simply, to stretch out the legs.

It's All About Your Bike

When people learn that my bicycle is worth more than my car, surprise is the most common expression I see cross their faces, followed closely by pity for my wife. Now granted, my ’99 VW may be a bit long in the tooth, but it still has plenty of life left, just as my bike does.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - February 2010

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

PRINCETON TEC REMIX HEADLAMP

Slip Into Some Winter Traction

In this review of traction devices for winter hiking, we present four products that were designed primarily for use on hard-packed hiking trails with some ice, when snowshoes are not needed to prevent postholing.

The Mountains Majestique

Some landscapes you visit just once in your life. Not because there’s anything inherently wrong with them, but rather because there are simply too many other places to see in the world. But sometimes, a landscape grabs you and calls you to return. Such is my relationship with Quebec’s Gaspesie, a mere stone’s throw (globally speaking) from the Green Mountain State’s borders.

Cliff Hangers

The cliff was small, maybe 10 feet wide, though it seemed to shrink as I neared the edge. I felt dizzy and terribly heavy, as if gravity pulled harder on me the closer I got to the abyss. I sat down with my feet toward the drop-off, then slowly inched forward. The white-capped waves 500 feet below looked like dotted lines traveling across the deep black water.

Ruining Your Vacation Ruins My Day

Without fail, every year a few customers come into the shop, their heads hung and their shoulders slumped, to tell us that they did something that they feel is so stupid they are ashamed to admit what it is.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - March 2010

I just got back from the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City, UT, where 40,000 or so outdoor industry types like me converged for a week-long gear summit. By the last day, I was dehydrated from drooling. Here are just three of the items that I found particularly tasty.

GSI OUTDOORS VORTEX HAND CRANKED BLENDER

Beyond the Blazes: Behind Closed Doors, April 2009 issue

We call this column “Beyond the Blazes” because of the nice alliteration, but also to call attention to the activities which happen out of public view to keep Vermont’s hiking trails alive and well. This month, let’s look at two particular Green Mountain Club programs that happen off the trail: Stewardship and Publications.

The History of the Craftsbury Outdoor Center

For what it is today—a world-class facility that grooms top athletes and attracts Olympians to its races—the Craftsbury Outdoor Center had humble and even uncertain financial beginnings.

Diagnostic Imaging: X-ray, bone scan, MRI, ultrasound. Which test is the right choice to diagnose your problem?

The first Nobel Prize in physics went, in 1901, to a German scientist named Wilhelm Roentgen for his work in the development of the x-ray. He completed his work in 1895, but it was just the beginning of the road for diagnosing illness and injury with the creation of images inside the human body. Diagnosis established with imaging techniques is one of the most important tools in medicine today.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - November 2009

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

Swix 2 in 1 Split Mitt

Training for a Back-to-Back Century Ride - July 2009

For the past five months, in this space, I have reported on my training program for the Prouty Ultimate, two back-to-back century rides on July 10 and 11. I rode my trainer throughout the winter, kept a log of each workout, and gradually increased my speed. I got outside on my bike when the weather turned, and was able to log 220 miles in May.

Zuttermeister Chronicles

Let’s start with a recap from last month: I threw my back out while shoveling snow before heading to work. This happened on a Thursday, and by Saturday morning I was at the doctor’s office. Long story short, I was cured by medication, a heating pad, Mineral Ice, and rest. Then I headed to Las Vegas for a business trip.

Born to Snowshoe

In 2009 at the age of 70, John Pelton won his age division at the United States Snowshoe Association’s National Championships at Mt. Hood, OR. A modest man, Pelton downplays his achievement noting that he was also the only racer in his division. Nevertheless, his finish time was better than several competitors thirty and forty years his junior.

Chic-Choc Wow!

Let’s be honest. New England can have a reputation for icy skiing. Anyone who grew up skiing in the east knows that’s true. And so is another rule: the farther northeast you go, the better the powder gets. This is no secret to backcountry skiers, who’ve schussed the slides of the Adirondacks, glades of Vermont, and bare summit cones and open bowls of New Hampshire for years.

The Nano Workout

Does the busyness of your life keep you from your desired workout routine? Do you have the time to work out, but suffer from nagging, recurrent, overuse injuries? Are you healthy, but feel like you are stuck in a workout rut, doing the same workout again and again? If you answered yes to any of these, maybe it is time for you to think small.

Woodstock’s Junior Cycling Team

If you have fond memories of riding your bike as a kid, it’s likely you grew up in a suburban neighborhood with paved streets and enough watchful neighbors to put your parents at ease. Things are a little different in Vermont. Most of the roads are dirt, and the distances between enclaves and homes can be miles, with the routes traversing steep hills and dark woods.

Earning Your Turns: A Day of Bike-Supported Skiing Adventure

It’s rare that our trips to the ski hill or trailhead don’t involve a few errands, a visit with friends or family, or a longer drive to a not-so-local spot. This, combined with other realities, such as snowy roads, cold weather, and limited daylight, make it challenging to use our bikes to go skiing.

Skiing Vermont’s Wilderness Areas

Whether it’s the haunted past of Vermont’s Glastenbury Mountain, the challenging steeps of the Bristol Cliffs, or the mature hardwoods of the new Battell Wilderness Area, there is something undeniably special about backcountry skiing in Vermont’s federally designated wilderness areas.

The Kinetic Chain Gang, April 2009 issue

The human kinetic chain consists of a group of body parts that are linked together in a way that allows them to function. Like any chain, if the links are separated, rusty, or damaged, it will not function properly, and other parts of the chain might become damaged. The human kinetic chain’s activities may be open or closed.

Posterior Tendon Injuries

The posterior tibial (PT) tendon and muscle represent one of the longest muscular units below the knee. PT muscle fibers originate on the lateral-posterior aspects of the leg, on the tibia, the upper two thirds of the medial-posterior portions of the fibula, and the connective tissues between both the fibula and tibia.

Muscles Not Motors October 2009 Gear Review

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

KELTY GUNNISON 2.1 TENT

Muscles Not Motors Camping Gear Review

Growing up, my family was a camping family. Each summer, we would load up the car and drive no less than an hour away to spend a glorious week roughing it together at a crowded family campground. It would rain a lot, my parents would argue a lot, and my sister and I would be bored stiff a lot. The mosquitoes living in our tent, however, would be as happy as could be. I still love camping to this day, but a few things have changed…

2010 Summer Sports Camp Guide

The Vermont Sports 2010 Summer Camp Guide lists camps in Vermont that focus on outdoor sports-related activities. Most are the same sports we traditionally cover in our editorial content, such as running, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, climbing, adventure, and outdoor skills. This guide includes a basic description of each camp’s offerings.

Honing Your Heart Rate?

For years and years we’ve been testing people in our Human Performance lab at UVM for all kinds of studies ranging from fluid intake to heat tolerance. One thing that has always plagued me is the accuracy of the maximal heart rate numbers we get. For the most part we don’t really question the data as it’s all carefully collected and monitored.

Diversify Your (Athletic) Portfolio

How many times have you heard financial experts talk about the importance of asset diversification?

A Greener GMC

How should we measure the carbon footprint of a hiking club? As the Green Mountain Club approaches its 100th birthday as maintainer and protector of Vermont’s beloved Long Trail, should we be worrying more about the ecological impact people have when they drive to trailheads, or more about combating the recent decline in percentage of time children spend outside in nature?

Two Hikes That Made My Summer

This past summer began very wet. It seemed to rain for weeks, with few breaks of blue sky for outdoor recreation. Adding to the scheduling challenge was my wife’s summer academic load.

Pioneering Health and Fitness Website, Imsuperb.com, Announces Launch

ImSuperb.com Health & Fitness is a premiere service created by certified personal trainers Nick Lynch of Vermont and Mike Veselka of Milwaukee, WI, for the sole purpose of making preventative and progressive health options, such as chiropractic, exercise, and proper nutrition. It is easily accessible to all individuals at a price that all can afford.

Overtraining Syndrome

A friend recently forwarded a newspaper article to me entitled “Streaking.” Recalling a fad that was popular for a few years in the college town in which I grew up, where streaking meant running naked in large groups through town, I opened the link to see if “streaking” was making a comeback.

Green Racing Project - An Alaskan Localvore

The Green Racing Project arrived in Anchorage, AK, yesterday evening to compete in the 2010 National Cross-Country Ski Championships. Kincaid Park in downtown Anchorage hosts this final week of qualification races for the Vancouver Olympics and Junior World Championships Teams.

Spring into Fall

One of the nicest things about working at our shop is that twice a year we get to shift gears and cruise into a totally different selling season. In the spring, ski season gives way to bike season, and in the fall, bike season gives way to ski season. It’s like starting a new job, except your coworkers already know how much of a slacker you are.

Vermont Sports Magazine Offers Digital Subscriptions: 10% of subscription sales to support three Vermont non-profits

Vermont Sports Magazine and it’s online service www.vtsports.com, have recently launched a digital subscription service for it’s magazine readers interested in helping the magazine reduce its’ carbon footprint in Vermont and helping out some noteworthy non-profit organizations in the state.

imsuperb.com Announces Launch

Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier—Nick Lynch of Middlebury, VT, has launched Imsuperb.com Health & Fitness, a web site service that helps members make healthy diet and exercise choices, and is a source for information about progressive health options, such as chiropractic, exercise, and nutrition.

Reader Athlete June 2009: Erika Nestor

Age: 43
Residence: Burlington
Family: Partner, David; children Luke, 15; Sam, 12; Zoe, 6
Occupation: Athletic Director for The Field House
Primary sport: Running

Don’t Just Go Camping, Get An Education!

No one can argue that Vermont is handcrafted for the ultimate camping experience. Beautiful scenery, lakes, mountains, streams, dirt-roads, and quiet back roads all provide a wonderful natural environment to promote the outdoors. Thus, it is not surprising that there are literally hundreds of camps available in Vermont. The choice is infinite in terms of activity, location, cost, and comfort.

Bike Commuting Can Save the World, April 2009 issue

Throughout the 10 years I lived in the Rockies, I rode my bike everywhere—to work, to the grocery store, to meet with friends, to the trailhead, and for hours and hours, just for the fun of it. Neither the rain and snow, nor freezing fog, would stop me. I felt like I could go anywhere, anytime, for little or no cost. Often, cycling was more practical than driving.

Reader Athlete December 2009: Kate Crawford

Age: 26
Residence: Essex Junction
Family: Husband, Garnet Smith
Occupation: Environmental consultant
Primary sport: Nordic skiing

VS: You grew up in Western Massachusetts. How did you land in Vermont?

Nordic Boots

Many winter foot injuries happen because of poorly fit, worn-out, deformed ski and snowshoe boots.

A New and Better Peanut Butter

Chris Kaiser of Stowe isn’t taking on any new clients for his financial planning firm. That’s because he’s too busy in the kitchen. Kaiser, who splits his time between Stowe and the southern Adirondacks, is the owner of Vermont Peanut Butter, a product which he describes as “pure and natural as the Green Mountains.”

Hike, Bike, or Kayak to Celebrate History

Four hundred years ago, Samuel de Champlain became the first European to paddle the Almost Great Lake that now bears his name. This year, both states and the province bordering Lake Champlain are scheduling a variety of events to celebrate the Quadricentennial. While many events fall into the historic or cultural categories, several involve sports and recreation.

May 2009 Reader Athlete: Pam Clapp

Age: 37
Residence: Waterbury
Family: Husband, Roger; sons Adrian, 6, and Lewis, 4
Occupation: Executive assistant to chairman of Generon International
Primary sport: Running

VS: When did you start running and why?

Green Racing Project: The Great White Circus Opens in Yellowstone

The ski season is finally here. By “here,” I mean that it’s winter in West Yellowstone, MT. The Green Racing Project has escaped the warmth of November in Vermont to cut the tape on the 2009/2010 cross-country ski racing season in the colder climes of Yellowstone National Park.

A Training Plan for the Craftsbury Marathon

The Craftsbury Marathon is one of Vermont’s most grueling Nordic ski races on some of Vermont’s best trails. For first-timers, training for the race can be daunting. While it’s easy to search the Web for information on training for a running marathon, information on ski marathon training remains somewhat elusive.

Green Racing Project - The Real World

This is the true story of six strangers picked to live in a house, train for ski racing together, work on sustainability projects, and find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real. Welcome to the “Real World,” with the Green Racing Project in Craftsbury,VT.

Slack Attack!

Before you try slacklining, there’s something you should know: It’s extremely addictive.

As soon as you put one foot on the line, you’ll want to be able to stand on your own.

As soon as you can stand on one foot, you’ll want to be able to stand on two.

As soon as you can stand on two, you’ll want to try to take a few steps.

Vacations and Marathons

My wife, Alison, and I are runners. We originally met returning from separate jogs on Burlington’s Rec Path. We are members of a running group that meets every Sunday, and even our dog has a public blog detailing his running log. Last summer, we got married on a partly cloudy afternoon by a giant oak tree at Oakledge Park, by mile-marker 13 of the Vermont City Marathon course.

Avoiding Common Winter Running Injuries

Runners have to run to keep highly specialized muscles in shape. Spring training starts right now, in the middle of the deep, dark, cold winter. Too many runners take time off from running in winter, and these same folks increase the possibility of injury when the weather finally turns warmer. Running in winter means having a flexible training schedule or better yet, no schedule at all.

Reestablishing the Coming of Age Ritual

Not long ago I had the opportunity to attend a small graduation ceremony at an outdoor education center in North Carolina. It was a rewarding trip for a number of reasons. My prior experience in the south had been limited to nine weeks of infantry training at Fort Benning, GA, back in 1968. Not the ideal setting in which to appreciate the beauty of the natural surroundings.

Vermont's Best Lift Ticket Deals

These days, buying a lift ticket is like being dealt a hand of cards and deciphering how best to play them. This season at Vermont’s ski areas you’ll come across special ticket deal cards named Magic, X2, Points, Passport, Fanfare, Club, and Express, to name just a few. Purchase one of these cards and you’ll get discounts on lift tickets and possibly other merchandise and services.

Beyond the Marathon

The marathon, 26.2 miles, is steeped in history and lore, stemming from its Greek origins. The Greek soldier, Pheidippides, ran from the battlefield near Marathon to Athens, announcing the defeat of the marauding Persian armies in 490BC. Pheidippides collapsed and died after his announcement and historic run.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - June 2009

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

Reader Athlete March 2010: Heidi Noonan

Age: 45
Residence: Jeffersonville
Family: Husband, Tom; son, Taylor, 15; daughter Erika, 12
Occupation: Physical therapist
Primary sport: Running

VS: What do you enjoy about being a physical therapist?

Zuttermeister Chronicles: Training for A Back to Back Century Ride - April 2009

This month started out great. I biked nearly 128 miles over 9 days. My total time was 6 hours and 48 minutes, so my average speed was almost 19 miles per hour. Six of the sessions were interval training and three of the sessions were “pyramids.” During the intervals, I consistently downshift to 20th gear.

Boots and Bindings for the Backcountry

This year’s crop of backcountry boots and bindings is more impressive than ever. On the binding front, most telemark bindings now feature a flip-of-the-switch “tour mode,” offering skiers the same resistance-free uphill performance that AT-skiers have enjoyed for years.

How Many Times Should a Runner Run?

How many times a week should I exercise? How many days should I rest? How many times should I exercise each day?

The Jay Cloud: Fact or Fiction?

If, like me, you grew up in a place like Long Island, NY, when it came to skiing, you probably unfairly lumped all of Vermont together into a kind of single, large Great White North. Of course, now that I’ve spent my share of time tromping around the Green Mountain State, I know that the reality is more nuanced. All ski areas are not created equal.

Things Change. People Change. Pass the Cheeseballs.

Recently I did something that would make my younger self roll over in his wave. The wave being that of blissful ignorance and youthful exuberance upon which he surfed. After a particularly long and exhausting day at the shop, a nightmare kind of day of trying to make dreams come true, I went home and took a walk with my lovely wife.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - May 2009

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

Build it and They Will Come: Skiing the Trails of the CCC

Skiers in New England have it good. When it comes to terrain, just one word applies: varied. There are groomers, glades, steep chutes, alpine bowls. In other words, the works.

Cold Season Outdoor Gear

We’ve made the long trip around the sun once again. Before long, Old Man Winter will blanket Vermont in white, and many of us will be out there making the most of it on our skis, boards, snowshoes, bikes, and sleds. Ever year, we stumble on a few items that we feel could make your winter season even more enjoyable, and they are featured here. Have a great winter, and stay warm and dry!

A Bicycle Named Sofia

Experienced bicycle mechanics, like heart surgeons and great cities such as Rome, for example, are not built in a day. It takes many, many years. Yes, there are schools in places like Portland and Colorado Springs, where in a few short weeks you can earn an official certificate stating that you are a “certified” bicycle mechanic, but you will be far from an “experienced” bicycle mechanic.

Green mountain Stage Race Update

This is the ninth year for the Green Mountain Stage Race, which draws over 900 riders from around the U.S. and Canada to compete for over $23,000 and the right to wear the leader’s yellow jersey at the end of four hard days of racing.

The Dreaded Stress Fracture

Every runner fears a stress fracture. Understanding how this diabolical, disabling injury occurs can help prevent it. The words “stress fracture” are really a misnomer, as the injured bone does not present radiological evidence of a true fracture line. The bone is not really broken or fractured, as in a crushing or severe twisting injury.

Triple Plays

Friday the thirteenth is a day often filled with superstition and, some would say, bad luck. But for New Hampshire climber Alan Cattabriga, Friday, March 13, 2009, was simply a long, hard, and ultimately rewarding day.

2009 Summer Sports Camp Guide

The Vermont Sports 2009 Summer Camp Guide lists over 30 camps in Vermont that focus on outdoor sports-related activities. Most are the same sports we traditionally cover in our editorial content, such as running, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, climbing, adventure, and outdoor skills. This guide includes a basic description of each camp’s offerings.

Eggnog Needs Eggs, Waxless Skis Need Wax

It's that time of year again, when, according to Andy Williams or anyone who has received royalties from a beloved Christmas tune, it is the most wonderful. Many others share that view as well, but when Christmas day is just one day off, wedged between two of the

Radical Ridgeline Trail Running

Trail running in Vermont is like dancing through a scenic minefield of roots, rocks, puddles, and fallen trees. It forces you to leap, twist, and scurry in order to keep a smooth line and stay on the ever-winding trail. It’s at once exhilarating and peaceful, and some trails require a level of focus that leaves no room for dwelling on anything in life but the 20 feet of trail before you.

Avalanche!

I tried it in class the first day back. My students were into it. I narrated it while we all watched the sweep-second hand on the clock:

crack—”I’m riding it down!”
accelerate
highly focused—ram axes through snow up to elbows—picks grab ice
second avi above me breaks—tons of snow collapse onto me—lifted off mountain—covered by snow
accelerate