XC Skiing?

[Catrin]

My assistant executive director was singing the praises of XC Skiing today. He thinks it would be perfect for me since I love to be outdoors, exercise and endurance activities. He insisted that falls are quite rare since you are on a plowed track of different levels and feet never leave the ground, and that it's quite low impact for the knees.

What he describes is not what I think of when I think about cross-country skiing. Comments, thoughts on what he said?

[maillotpois]

I just did it for the first time last week and loved it. Did traditional, not skate. I did fall, but it wasn't nearly as scary as downhill, which I never took to. I fell during a call doing a balance drill, which I sort of suck at anyway. I learned a lot in the class and had a great time on the trails. Can't wait to do it again.

[Catrin]

That is encouraging, and congratulations on having fun! Would you agree that it's low impact on bad knees?

[maillotpois]

Definitely. It's like running, but with no impact.

[Catrin]

Interesting...something to check out next winter! I think I would have to travel north to do it but time will tell. I've still not been released from the knee surgery but I expect that at my next visit.

[zoom-zoom]

About the only thing lower impact would be swimming. Around here XC skiing is really popular amongst cyclists who don't ride outdoors in the Winter.

[Catrin]

About the only thing lower impact would be swimming. Around here XC skiing is really popular amongst cyclists who don't ride outdoors in the Winter.
I don't swim so that isn't an option. This winter I'm limited to TWO machines that doesn't hurt my knee, and lots of kettlebell swings for cardio. It would be nice to have another option if it's something I can do without an overnight trip and not spend a fortune getting started...hmmmm

[lph]

Oh, it's low-impact all right, since you spend all your time sliding your feet inches above the ground. You can't have totally cruddy knees, though, as the chance of twisting a knee in a fall is there (since you're essentially wearing a huge lever on your foot). But that's not until you get up to high speeds and/or start getting reckless, so nothing to worry about really. We don't have tracks rated by difficulty so I can't speak for that, but in general falls are more like slides, you sit down and skid along until you stop. On an easy, flat track you'd just sit down, no sliding.

[Crankin]

It is low, low impact. However, saying you won't fall (especially in the learning stage) isn't exactly true. I am a good intermediate level skier, classic style. I am not fast, fast, but I can climb like crazy and the fear I have of downhills in cycling is not there when I ski. I love x country skiing, almost more than riding, because I don't get to do it as much. However, I skied on beginner trails for like 15 years, because I was too afraid of big falls or descending. It only took a couple of trips with our cycling friends, and I was out on the blue trails. You will fall in the beginning, just getting the coordination down. Sometimes, you fall climbing, when an edge slips out, but that's more like a knee or thigh down. Not a big fall. Obviously, you can fall more descending, but you can also learn to control your speed on skinny skis! I hardly fall at all, now and when I do, it's usually when i am climbing, tired, and my position gets out of whack.
And, falling on snow is much less scary than falling on the road or trail.
Go for it, Catrin.

[Irulan]

There are two different kinds of XC skiing, classic and skate. Catrin, which one are you talking about?

[Catrin]

There are two different kinds of XC skiing, classic and skate. Catrin, which one are you talking about?

I have no idea which one I mean Irulan, I was going on conversations with others and I need to do some research when I've a chance :o I'm unsure how realistic it is for me to consider around here anyway, and it couldn't happen this winter. Are both types done on manicured trails? I was told of golf courses that convert to XC skiing in the winter, though I doubt any are local.

[Irulan]

this should help.
http://crosscountryskitechnique.com/category/getting-started-cross-country-skiing/

[Catrin]

this should help.
http://crosscountryskitechnique.com/category/getting-started-cross-country-skiing/

Thanks Irulan! I must admit it sounds like fun, even though I'm still gun-shy from my fall last March that I'm still recovering from. I will research further and if I can find a reasonable close place to try it out next season without breaking the bank I will try it!

[Crankin]

The great thing about nordic skiing, is that even if you are at a nordic center, the price is very cheap (10-20), as compared to downhill skiing. And, you can also access trails in the woods, if you don't mind untracked skiing.
Golf courses around here no longer allow any winter activity on their grounds. They are afraid of lawsuits. However, we do have one very popular place, that is a municpal golf course that turns into an x country center in hte winter.

[Catrin]

A quick search appears to indicate that my two favorite parks here allow Nordic skiing. There do appear to be some options in Central Indiana so it's worth looking into for next season depending on how my knee progresses

[Crankin]

It's snowing! Maybe a local ski is in the cards for tomorrow.

[Crankin]

We got right to the local x country area at 9 AM, to be greeted by an almost full parking area, and about 150 kids (all ages) and parents waiting to ski. It was crazy. But they went off in a different direction. DH went in to buy the passes and as I waited in the snow, I saw our friends ski by... I knew they would be there! But, the line for tickets was long, so we went off about 10 minutes later. So, we had been warned lots of twigs and branches on some trails, but they didn't say anything about the rocks peeking out of the snow and dirt in the tracks. Skiing required utmost attention today. I felt discombobulated from the start, but it is a gorgeous bluebird day. When we got near a place where we cross the road to get to the harder stuff, we got behind our friends. A woman in front of me fell and I stopped to ask if she needed help. Anyway, when I got to the road crossing, there was DH, our friends, and another couple (the woman who fell), who are also friends of our friends. We had met this other couple up NH a couple of weeks ago, as they were staying at our inn, where we figured out the connection. Anyway, the 6 of us skied up and down some hills, where I fell once going down and put a knee down climbing a bigger hill there, when my ski got caught under a ledge of rock. The other 2 woman are slower than me, so they didn't see, and the men were ahead, but 2 kids skiing with their dad saw. Basically, I was trying to avoid rocks, etc, when my edge caught. Anyway, we all met up in a nice field (the hardest trail was closed), and they went off to ski more and we had to head home. DH and I went up a short black trail to get back, where I fell descending, again, for the same reason.
I can laugh, though. The conditions were not so great, and I guess I don't quite have the technical skill for what was out there. Oh well. More snow predicted for Monday/Tuesday, so I will try to get another ski in on Wednesday, before we leave for Vermont.

[zoom-zoom]

Our snow is essentially gone, but 6-12" in the forecast for the next 36 hours. I hope the rugrat gets a snow day. He is desperate to get back out on his skis!