Wow Bron - 50K! You rock! I haven't ever been ready for a 50 in January! Well, or ever in the past several years. Have a great time!

Wahine: 7k on your first day out in two years is really great! I work up to that over a couple of weeks at the beginning of every season. I only did about 6 tonight, actually. You will feel it, but in that really good way.

Lee Borowski has some books and videos on skate skiing (actually, there are lots of people who do). Check out someplace like New Moon ski shop online (or Skiguys.com, or any of the bigger shops that are online). Getting really tired and sucking on inclines is all a part of the deal - the more you ski, the better you'll get. Weight transfer is about the most important thing you can learn. Try skiing without poles on flats and slight grades, swinging your arms (and whole upper body) back and forth as you skate, so your weight is always going in the direction of the gliding ski (pretend you're reaching for the tip). And make sure you are bringing your ski in all the way under your body before putting it down (if you have a problem with this, concentrate on actually crossing your tails - they can click together and that is okay while you're practicing). Have fun! Mainly, the more you ski, the easier it will get.