Cross Country Skiing

[Skierchickie]

Self-taught here - both striding and skating. When I was 9 my parents borrowed skis from some friends, and Dad took us each out in the yard, one at a time (only 2 pairs) to see if we liked it. We did. When our own skis showed up, the poles were back-ordered, so we went out around the yard without them for a few days (which is a very very good way to learn technique!). My sister later turned to downhill (and lives in Texas now), but Mom & Dad and I are still at it, 35 years later.

It can definitely be done without lessons. I don't really agree that skating is more technique-driven, though. I think it is more strength driven, and so you feel it more if you aren't doing it correctly. Well, actually, I think you have to have the strength before you can have the technique, if that makes any sense. I've always thought striding was more technical - it's just that you can shuffle along from Point A to Point B with really poor technique. An awful lot of people really don't have any kick at all, and just shuffle. Which is fine, by the way, as long as it is fun!

I say, go out and give it a try, and then see if you want to take lessons later. Get a feel for the skis first, anyway, or you'll be wasting your time and money on a lesson, when you're just trying to get comfortable standing on the things that first time.

Have fun!

[Kathi]

I started classic skiing last year. I'm an alpine skier who was in a season long women's clinic. One of the instructors is an awesome Nordic skier, she tried out for the PSIA demo team. She offered lessons after our downhill lessons and they were wonderful. I learned to glide and other basic skills necessary for classic skiing. I even rode the beginner chairlift! The hardest part is getting your balance but that came pretty quickly for me.

I bought skis and boots a few years ago but didn't use them until last year. I've used them about 10 times, enough to know they aren't right for me. Unlike alpine skis, the size of nordic skis are by weight. My skis were rated below 140 lbs. They are too stiff for my mere 105 lbs so I just bought another pair, women's, that are rated 90-120 lbs. Trying to figure out the correct ski for me has been the hardest part of this venture.

I’m really enjoying this sport, it's great for weekends when the slopes are crowded and good exercise. Here's some websites that I found useful as a beginner.

http://www.xcskiworld.com/equip/equip_5minute.htm
http://www.xcskiworld.com/training/Technique/intro.htm
http://www.xcskiworld.com/training/T...ue/classic.htm

Specifically for women, scroll down to XC Clinic for Women.
http://www.xcskiresorts.com/WomenXCEvents2.html

As one of the articles points out, learning on a groomed course is probably the best place to start. A lesson or 2 will help to get you on your way. Have fun, it's a great sport.

[Kathi]

Groomed means the snow is packed down, a wide area for skate skiing, 2 tracks for classic skiing. I use the tracks to glide in flat areas and easy uphills and downhills. For herringboning uphill and snowplowing downhill I use the skate skiing area.

[DebW]

I mostly stay out of the set tracks at groomed areas. I'm more used to backcountry skiing and find the tracks too wide. Also, I frequently find the tracks glazed and not gripping my wax as well as the snow outside the tracks.

[Crankin]

It's true back country skis are too wide for the tracks. One of the times I went with an AMC group to Windblown, one woman had bc skis because they were more comfortable than her regular ones. She spent the whole time skiing in the skating lane and was miserable. By the end, she couldn't keep up, even with me. My new skis are wider than my old ones, but still fit in the tracks.
I wouldn't mind doing some back country skiing, but it would require different skis. Not this year...
Until then, I prefer to ski in the tracks on the flats and little uphills and downhills, but serious climbing/descending in the skate lane.

[DebW]

My backcountry skis are a tad wide for the tracks. But regardless of that, I think the distance between the 2 tracks is too wide. It's just uncomfortable to have to keep my feet that far apart. It's not a natural stride. And I've done many many all-day backcountry ski tours.

I'll probably be at Windblow this Saturday unless it's going to raining all day.

[Kathi]

Skied my new women's specific skis today. Wow, what a difference over my unisex skis. My balance was better, gliding, climbing and snowplowing so much easier. I skied an advanced beginner trail backwards and went down a pretty steep hill without problems. I felt very secure and confident on these skis.

The width of the tracks don't bother me, probably because I'm used to the width of 78-96 mm alpine skis. At first the narrowness of the skis and lack of support from the boots was much more disconcerting to me.

We don't have the freezing and thawing here that you have in the east so groomed trails here are soft, not icy and the tracks don't get very wide.

My nordic center has a designated place for learning. Tracks and a groomed area on flat terrain, very nice for beginners. Also, a good place to practice gliding witout poles.

After years of alpine skiing I'm excited to discover a new way to enjoy snow.