With the Birkie on tap for later this week, skiers old and young, first timers and seasoned vets are making final preparation for the big day on Saturday. One Elite skier who will be racing the Birkie for the first time in his young career is Tad Elliott with the Saab/Salomon Factory Team. Tad has had a breakout year in both mountain biking and Nordic skiing the past 12 months. Posting solid results as a junior, Tad is currently holding U23 National titles in both mountain biking and cross country skiing. I dropped Tad a note via e-mail a month ago after Nationals.
You are coming off a great Nationals held in some bitter cold in Alaska. How did the races go and how was it to race coming from a more mild climate? Racing in the cold was not enjoyable but it was the same for everyone. I underestimated the conditions and dressed a little too lightly for the skate race. I am now loosing some skin, and am just now getting some feeling back in my fingers.
(Credit: Salomon)
Going into the ski season, did you think you would have the results you have had? Going into this ski season I did not know what to expect. I felt I was fit coming off of the mountain bike season. West Yellowstone's skate race was a pleasant surprise coming in 5th and has been the stepping stone for the rest of the season. The skate race at Senior Nationals was a really good race. Going into the race I wanted to qualify for U23 Worlds. I had only dreamed of a top ten and when I finished 9th I was extremely ecstatic with the result. I have to thank Salomon, Swix and our wax tech Fabian because a lot of my success has been thanks to the great support and awesome skis that I have received this season.
What are your goals for the rest of the season? My goals for the rest of the season are to really focus on the American Birkie. I have never competed in a 50k and this race is so well known that I am really looking forward to it.
A year ago did you think you would hold U23 National titles in both mountain biking and xc skiing in less than a year? Holding both National titles in one year was never a goal of mine. Now that it has happened I am rather proud of winning both of them.
Did you do anything differently this Fall to prepare for the XC season? How much time between your last mountain bike race and your first ski race? Yes I did, I trained almost solely for skiing just riding my bike once a week. I also got back into the gym and weight lifted three times a week. I rollerskied for about 90 percent of my training and on the two months of bigger hours was doing around 20 to 30 hours of rollerskiing. There was two and a half months in between my last MTB race and West Yellowstone.
Any ski specific training during the mountain bike season and on the flip side, any riding during the xc ski season? No, I do not do any ski specific training during the Mountain Bike season, I just ride my bike and mostly I ride my Mountain Bike. In the Winter I try to ride once I week but really I only ride every two to three weeks.
Is your training for mountain biking much different than Nordic skiing? Do you have much recovery time in between seasons? Training for cycling is very similar to training for skiing. I enjoy the variety of training year round. I try to do a smooth transition from skiing straight into the mountain bike season. After mountain bike season is over, I do lifestyle training for a few weeks and just have fun with it.
How are the Nordic opportunities in the Durango area? Fairly consistent snow year to year? The Nordic opportunities are great. I have world class cyclist here to train with. They train with me year round and even come out Nordic skiing with me when the snow is good. It is not easy on their egos because the J3's wreck on them when we do relays together. The Durango Nordic Center is awesome offering some of the hardest training terrain that I have ever trained on, the only downside is that we have to drive 30 minutes each way to get on snow. Snow here does usually fall a bit later with the first day on skis being around mid-November.
I think the Midwest skiers don't realize the amount of travel involved for the Rocky Mountain skiers. What is a typical "road trip" for you? 7 hours of sitting in a car listening to music and trying not to get to cranky.
(Credit: USA Cycling)
Where is your favorite venue for Nordic ski racing and for mountain biking racing? Hands down Soldier Hollow. What I really like about Soldier Hollow is that the grooming is always going to be the best you have had all year. Favorite Mountain Bike race is Teva Mountain Games in Vail, CO. There are so many events in all different sporting disciplines that it is one cool scene. It’s easy to be a spectator and a competitor.
What are your plans for mountain biking for 2009? I am going over to Europe and racing the World Cup Circuit. USA Cycling has provided me with the great opportunity to go to almost all of the World Cups so I am looking forward to what I hope to be a great season over in Europe. The race I am most looking forward to is US National Championships in Sol Vista, CO. It will be nice to be able to race in front of all my friends in my home state.
Some Nordic purists feel that in order to have the best results possible in Nordic skiing, athletes must focus on ski specific training throughout the year, with cross training mixed in of course. Do you feel some athletes are more capable than others to compete at a high level in a different sport in the off season and not compromise their ski potential? I absolutely think that some people are able to compete at a high level in different sports in different seasons. It has worked well for me but I do not know anything different. I really encourage younger Nordic skiers to be involved in different activities in the off season. I believe that it will make them a better Nordic skier and a healthier person.
