09.07.2008 - 10:18 h

Interview with Peter Fill about his endurance training – Part II

Peter Fill knows how to prepare athletically for the winter season. In the special series in Ski2b.com on physical training, the South Tyrolean gives us insight into his condition training regime.


Ski2b: Hi Peter. In the beginning of July you already started preparing for the new season. Where are you now, and what are you doing at the moment?
Peter: I'm at home at the moment, but I was just in Sicily where I trained with the Italian team at training camp. Most of our time was spent biking around 80-100 kms a day. This was quite grueling so I had to do some pre-conditioning before I arrived at the training camp.

Ski2b: It goes without saying that at your level endurance is crucial. What do you do to keep fit?
Peter: Mountain biking is a good way to get fit. In Sicily we had a lot of bike races as this is a good way to control your pulse rate. Another advantage of biking is that you can simultaneously train your balance and coordination - in an uncontrolled environment. It doesn't hurt that Sicily is one of the most beautiful places to ride a bike! It was a great experience, and the training camp was also very enjoyable. In the evenings we always dined at nice restaurant with teammates. Winding down and join company at the end of a day of intense training reduces stress. Relaxing is fundamental for the body and the mind. In addition to the bike ride I also did activities like running. Five days a week we developed our fitness and strength in preparation for the season ahead.

Ski2b: Training at such high intensity, you still enjoy it or do you sometimes have motivational problems?
Peter: Training itself is an addiction - I know exactly how the training I am doing will help me in my skiing, so I don't need any additional motivation

Ski2b: What your plans for the upcoming weeks?
Peter: The time I am spending training my fitness levels will begin to diminish and be replaced with more strength training. I'll be in the weight room training my legs 3-4 times a week, and my upper body 2-3 times a week. I will continue to do some endurance training which will take place 4-5 times a week. I also take some rest time because regeneration phases are extremely important in training. So as you can see my training keeps me quite busy!

Ski2b: What do you enjoy the most?
Peter: There are certain exercises that I prefer to others. However, when I am training I always imagined myself in races going down the most difficult slopes and through the parts where I ski best. This keeps me motivated.

Ski2b: Which downhill run in the World Cup series do you find the most physically challenging? Is it Wengen?
Peter: Wengen is the longest run, but in my opinion Bormio is the hardest on the body. It's a tough run from beginning to end and you must stay constantly focused. Its difficulty also depends on the snow conditions; whether the snow is icy or soft. So I rank Bormio as the most difficult, then Wengen.

Ski2b: How fit are you starting this season? 100%?
Peter: To be honest, for the 2-3 weeks before the season starts in Solden, I try to over-train so that I'm tired and take a rest. This is the time when I recharge my batteries in order to be fit for the race.

Ski2b: Is there something you can already be doing in order to prepare for the highlight of the season - the World Championships in February 2009?
Peter: The World Championships aren't really part of my preparation right now, although I do think about them. The rhythm of my training and downtime will change over the next few months based on my experience at the Championships in 2007. From November until January of that season I was in good shape but I didn't manage to keep up my endurance for the biggest race of the season. It's not possible to be fit enough for a single race if your conditioning doesn't improve over the previous races. Another factor is the moment that you choose to go to the snow. I now tend to head to training camp in South America in August (it used to be September); so I don't end up being too tired for the beginning of the race season in October. After a few years of being a professional skier you start to understand what's best for your body.

Thank you for your time today Peter - and best of luck in your training!


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