Cross Country Skiing

[Bron]

I thought they were too good not to share although as my brother pointed out, stunning scenery and access to a helicopter gave the photographer a lot of help.

It was the Engadine ski marathon (42km), as far as I know it is the biggest race in central Europe with around 11 000 skiers on the start. It's part of the Worldloppet and the FIS marathon cup so people come from everywhere in the world to take part.

Terrain, overall it's downhill and the start is completely flat as it's on a frozen lake. There is a climb at around halfway and three hills at the end which shouldn't be that nasty, but are because everyone is tired by then.

Feel free to PM me if you're thinking of taking part and have any questions.

It was fairly cold at the start (around -8°C as far as I can remember) but sunny and it was very cold when I went out at 6 am to put my skis out. I was fine in my normal racing suit once we got going.

I did a 50k race (a tad smaller than yours - under 500 people total for 3 event, and 172 in the 50) last Sunday. The conditions were really fast, so I was able to do it under 3 hours (although, as always, I went too hard on the first lap, and slowed sown significantly on the 2nd). My first 50k race since, I believe, 1995! I usually get a couple of 50s in training every season, but 20-25k has always been a better race distance for me.

Well done! I've not quite managed to break 3 hours for a 50k although maybe I will next season.

We had our last races this weekend too. 30k skating on Saturday which went quite well apart from falling over in front of all of the spectators as I was racing for the finish. Yesterday was 42k classic where the weather was horrible and I was late for the start (how could I be so stupid?). Now we have to wait for the final standings in the ski series to be published and think about getting our bikes out.

[Skierchickie]

So, Bron, how did your series standings go? Anybody who does 30k one day and 42k the next deserves some sort of recognition!

My last race went okay - it was really hard! It was an unusual format, where they had waves based on your age group, and the waves were arranged to try to equalize among ages and m/f, so the first person across the line wins. I was 28th or something, out of 72. My best friend is a couple of years older than I am, and started 2 minutes ahead of me. I made up about 1/2 of that, but couldn't catch her. She said she saw me several times, but I never saw her - I think that gave her a bit of a boost to keep me from catching her. If I'd seen her, who knows - maybe I would have gotten that boost? A minute is still a lot to try to make up when you're dying, though. I'd like to say it was fun, but MAN was that hard!

I haven't skied since last Sunday, on the crust. Work gets in the way this time of year, because I can't get out in the morning, before it warms up. It sounds like the trails are still being groomed, although this time of year it gets to be less reliable at one place. I think I'm ready for 50s and biking, but that may be a ways off. The singletrack is still snow-covered, so running is difficult. It's snowing right now and 18F.

Oh, and my 2:52 50k was purely due to the fast conditions and mild course.

[madscot13]

um, I have a question: how do you train for this sort of thing?

[Skierchickie]

um, I have a question: how do you train for this sort of thing?

Hi Madscot!

Ski races? 50ks? It would be easiest if you didn't have one of those pesky jobs.

By skiing as much as possible, possibly doing intervals, etc., just like running or biking. If you mean training for long distances, I gradually work my long skis up over several weeks - this year I got a couple of 50+k training skis in a few weeks beforehand. I've never figured out how people do ski marathons in January, though. Lots of roller skiing in the fall, I suppose.

And I really don't know how Bron raced 30k one day and 42k the next - she's awesome!

[Bron]

So, Bron, how did your series standings go?
.....
Oh, and my 2:52 50k was purely due to the fast conditions and mild course.

I came third which I am really pleased about. The first two girls are just in another class, I would never have a chance of beating them.
There are plenty of other skiers around who are better than me, but they didn't do enough races to get a higher position, so my result is thanks to persistence and a lot of technical improvement.

Even with fast conditions, that's a good 50k result and one that I would be happy with.

I like the pursuit concept, it certainly adds something to a race when you are determined to chase someone down/not be caught.

um, I have a question: how do you train for this sort of thing?

I did a couple of triathlons in the summer and then in autumn mainly ran and used the rowing machine with a mxture of long sessions and intervals. Oh, yes, the job tends to get in the way of training

Hi Madscot!
I've never figured out how people do ski marathons in January, though. Lots of roller skiing in the fall, I suppose.

And I really don't know how Bron raced 30k one day and 42k the next - she's awesome!

Mainly by telling myself that it was the last race of the season!
Our series involved six weekends each with two races, usually short (17-25k) on the Saturday and long (34-55k) on the Sunday, so by the last one I was used to it.

We started in December with a training camp which was a big help and I concentrated the most effort on the skating races, so one race each weekend would be a big effort and then the other one less important.

Next year I need to improve my classic skiing and maybe not do quite as many races.

[madscot13]

I am going to work on properly classic skiing before I move up to skate (plus I don't want to invest in another set of gear). Skate is beautiful to watch. It looks so intense too.

I think rowing and cross country skiing are the best workouts a person can get! I row for my warm up but I don't have the patience to do more than an hour without a team.

I got back into cross country a few years back. I have my own gear now but I am not particularly fast. I never felt that biking really got me into good shape for it though. I'm not particularly fast but I go to family style places and so I feel fast. I think I should work on my technique with some classes. that oughtta help.

[Skierchickie]

Hey Madscot13 - classes can make a big difference! Especially if you ski on your own, too, and practice what you learned.

Woo-hoo! One more race! The skiing was sooooo good over the weekend, my DH said somebody really should put on one more race before it's to late. I told him that, since he's unemployed right now, he'd be the perfect choice! So, he was all excited, then wasn't going to bother, then was all excited, then it was too much trouble, then ...., well, you get the idea. He called me at work this morning and said "It's on!". Now he's talked to enough people, he can't back out. So, one more 20K, hopefully lightening-fast, spur-of-the-moment event, this Saturday. Clearly, a low key race. I've hardly skied in 3 weeks, but what the heck?

Anybody else still getting out?