Ep . 45 What Should Skiers Do in March? End-of-Season Training Explained

In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast, hosts Andy Newell and Brian Halligan catch up after a busy stretch of international racing, including the World Junior Championships for both biathlon and cross country. Brian shares insights from coaching in Arber, where the U.S. team battled tricky spring conditions and tough competition, while Andy reflects on the logistical chaos and technical challenges of ski preparation in Lillehammer. The conversation dives into what it takes behind the scenes: from waxing strategy and ski testing to navigating rapidly changing snow conditions in the modern non-fluoro waxing era.

The episode then shifts into a timely topic for athletes as winter winds down: how to train in March when the race season is nearly over. Brian and Andy discuss how athletes should approach the end of the season, balancing recovery with continued development. They share practical advice for junior and masters athletes alike, including when to take a short break, how to maintain aerobic fitness with fun ski sessions, and why late-season intensity sessions can still provide valuable physiological gains before transitioning to spring training.

Finally, the hosts answer a listener question inspired by the Jessie Diggins “Threshold” documentary, exploring when athletes should push workouts to exhaustion versus keeping interval intensity controlled. They break down how elite athletes manage high-intensity training, why most interval work is performed just below maximum effort, and how mental strategies help athletes access their top gear when it matters most. The result is a thoughtful discussion on training philosophy, recovery, and the psychology of pushing limits in endurance sport.