Dear SkiPost,
Is there any way to fix a ski base that was burnt? It's bubbled up a tiny bit and isn't taking any wax anymore. I was wondering if maybe getting my skis stone ground would fix this problem.
Thanks
Hello,
I haven't seen many skis that have bubbled, but this could be a rather extreme case of burning. It would be a good idea for you to bring your skis to a shop that has stone grinding capabilities designed for cross country skis. If they believe the base will be saved through stone grinding, this is probably one of your better options. It is hard to give much advice without seeing your skis, so having the help of a shop expert is certainly your best option.
Please visit our site, http://www.dreamofit.com/grinds.htm. These are the stone grinders the Subaru Factory Team sends their skis to through the season, and they are set up to deal with cross country skis.
Enjoy the spring!
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By: Justin Freeman
Saab Salomon Factory Team
I was reading through some of my old (and even new) articles recently. And I enjoy reading other skier’s advice on how master skiers like myself should train: how to fit in intervals, strength, flexibility, etc. It kind of makes me laugh. People like (pre-baby) me spend all this time thinking about how to plan the optimal balance of training modes and all we (post-baby me and the rest of the master skier community) are worried about is when we are going to train, period.
Here is the real training secret I have discovered in three years of fatherhood: the difference between not skiing and skiing is way bigger, whether in terms of psychological reward or of fitness improvement, than the difference between training badly and training perfectly.
How do I fit in strength training these days? Well, sometimes I miss the wax, and so I end up doing a lot of double poling. I only spend so much time waxing each day: once that time is up, I ski (or just double pole) on what is on my skies. Or maybe it is a day I am pulling one or both of my daughters in the Chariot. Pulling 60 pounds of sled and children is a great way to build strength. Actually, so is sitting on the couch doing leg lifts with a two-year-old holding on to your knees, especially when she keeps on demanding to go faster. Another good leg training technique: get so frazzled trying to get out the door you forget your poles! An hour of skating without them will really help your quads.
When do I fit in interval training? Sometimes I just feel good one day and decide to throw down with some kind of speed. Or sometimes I am 20 minutes from the lodge and my daughter in the Chariot starts screaming at the top of her lungs, and all I want to do is get to where she can get out. Speed and strength all at once! And sometimes I am skiing alone and realize that I have promised my wife I will be back at a time that will be impossible to achieve unless I bump it to race pace for the next 20 minutes.
How do I fit in overdistance? Well, the other day I planned to go for a ski while my wife had the kids at open gym. She had trouble getting them out the door, so I got extra skiing time before we met up. The plan was that I would ski with our two-year-old and pull our 3-month-old while my wife skied alone. I figured my workout was over. But then the two-year-old demanded to be pulled as well, so I got an extra hour of skiing in!
How do I make sure I get rest? Well, I don’t. But I do get days without skiing by letting my wife ski for a change, or by taking care of sick kids, or taking the car to the mechanic to get fixed. Actually, since I often go alone and need to get back somehow, going to the mechanic also means cross training: it is a six mile run home – and six miles back when the car is ready.
Is this training plan going to make you an Olympic champion? No. It probably won’t even win Masters’ Nationals: somewhere someone with more talent is letting the rest of their life slide more than you can. But I guarantee it beats not training. And it beats setting unrealistic training goals and pitting one part of your life against the other.
So if you are at a point in your life where you can afford to make detailed plans, by all means do so. Carry the plans out, check off the goals, ski fast, be happy. But if you can’t, just grab some skis and poles – and maybe your family – find some snow, slide around on, and have some fun. Figure out if it was a level three day or specific strength after you get home. And smile. A bad day skiing beats … well, anything except a good day skiing!
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By: Garrott Kuzzy
CXC Elite
Spring skiing conditions have come a little early to the Midwest this year. Less than a week ago I was skiing around Wirth Park in the Twin Cities, bundled up in almost all of my ski clothes, dreaming of those far off days when I'd be able to ski around the trails in just a t-shirt. It turns out my dream came true much sooner than I'd expected. Just two days after skiing at Wirth (home of the 2011 Junior Olympics), I was up in Hayward cruising the Birkie trail from OO on one of those perfect mornings that I'd just been dreaming about. The morning started cold and again, I bundled up to stay warm. As the sun got higher, I started dropping layers like bread crumbs along the trail; first a vest, then warm-up pants, and my balclava went into my jacket pocket shortly before I hung it on a tree, knowing my ski would be an out-and-back.
Before the ski, I'd dropped a pair of my new Salomon Zero classic skis, with a red synthetic kick zone, at the turn-around at the Hatchery Creek trailhead. This served two purposes: getting a good pursuit workout in before Nationals next week and the chance to test my Zero's. Heading back north I had the sun on my back and was able to see my shadow in front of me. It was a great opportunity to make some minor adjustments in my technique and see how the changes looked in the snow. The tracks were wet and starting to break down and the Zero's performed exactly as I'd hoped, with solid kick and free glide. We're discovering that these skis work not only at Zero Celcius, but in almost all warm, wet conditions above that as well. As I approached the end of my ski, my shadow looked like I'd gained a serious beer gut, but that was just from all the clothes tied around my waist. It was a great day to be out on the trail and to see so many other skiers out enjoying the spring conditions. What a treat, knowing I wouldn't have to go home and clean klister off my skis! Enjoy the spring skiing! |
| Swix Wax Report 3/20-3/22 |
| Events/Clinics/Announcements |
Get a look inside the 2009 American Birkebeiner with these professional videos brought to you by the American Birkebeiner and Central Cross Country (CXC)!
www.birkievideo.com
DVD 1
Travel the hills of the Birkie trail with men competing to win the 36th
American Birkenbeiner. This exciting video puts you with the lead pack as
they seek to drop their competition and strategize with teammates to secure
victory on the Main Street in Hayward.
DVD 2
View all the highlights of the 36th American Birkebeiner. Enjoy the Main
Street events of children finishing the Banebirkie and the action of elite
skiers in the CXC Sprints. Follow all the Birkie and Kortie wave starts and
find yourself with the continuous footage of skiers on the Powerline.
Yuriy Gusev
Executive Director & Athletic Director
Central Cross Country Ski Association
Office: 608.277.0220
Fax: 608.277.0255
Mobile: 608.385.8864
Mailing Address:
P.O.Box 930442
Verona, WI 53593
Shipping Address:
200 E. Verona Ave., PMB 133
Verona, WI 53593
Dream. Plan. Execute.
_____________________________________
The Equinox Ski Challenge
March 21-22, 2009
Rendezvous Ski Trails, West Yellowstone, MT.
www.equinoxskichallenge.com
Relay team or solo / 6, 12, or 24 Hour / freestyle
Sam Newbury
(406)-209-3533
equinoxskichallenge@gmail.com
THE 3rd ANNUAL EQUINOX SKI CHALLENGE: How Far Can You Go?
A few quick reminders...
--Entry fees for the 3rd Annual Equinox Ski Challenge bump up $10 on after
March 8th. (Mailed entries postmarked by the 9th will be OK since the 8th
is a Sunday.)
--The rates before the 8th are $35 for those willing to volunteer for a few
hours or who bring a volunteer with them, $45 for juniors and $55 for
adults.
--Race day registration is also available for an additional $10 and will be
available Friday March 20th from 6-9 PM and Saturday March 21st from 7-9 AM.
Of course, early registration is encouraged.... and is cheaper.
--Mail in registration closes on the 16th and online registration
www.equinoxskichallenge.com closes on the 18th.
--Bring some food for the local food bank and get an extra ticket in the
raffle. (4 cans/3 pounds equals one ticket)
--Costumes! The best costume gets a free lap to their total!
--The snowpack in West Yellowstone is doing quite well still so we
anticipate great conditions on March 21st.
How far can you go?
For more information contact:
Sam Newbury
Equinox Ski Challenge
P.O. Box 184
Bozeman, MT. 59771
(406)-209-3533
equinoxskichallenge@gmail.com
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