Training Log Archive: cedarcreekIn the 7 days ending Jan 27, 2012:
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Thursday Jan 26, 2012 #
4 PM
XC Skiing (Classic) 1:13:03 4.19 km (17:27 / km) +92m 15:43 / km
ahr:153 max:169
My second time ever XC skiing. Again at Happy Jack.
A much nicer day than the 25th.
I was getting my stuff ready when I looked over and recognized Swampfox. Talked for a few minutes, then hurried out onto the trails. I was smoother and less awkward than the first time, but still not good. SF caught up to me and we talked for few minutes more about technique and Attackpoint and the devotion I notice XC Skiers seem to have for their sport. But I didn't want to take up his time (and my skis were due back at the rental by six, so I was a little worried about that---it was supposed to snow overnight, and if I had to wait for the rental place to open, it would have cost me (1) an additional day of ski rental, (2) an additional day of car rental, and (3) it would have made me much later for my flight than I would care to be. I would have made it, but I would have been freaking out for the entire morning.
I had fishscale skis. If it had been a lot colder, SF said this would have actually been the best choice. But it was warmer, and I'm pretty sure they had no glide. I could manage sort of a running gait, but not a kick-glide-kick-glide smooth rhythm. (From watching youtube videos, I believe was wasn't pushing down hard enough on my kick ski---the lack of glide may have been just not enough kick.)
Again, it was a total blast. I did a bit steeper hill descent towards the parking lot three or four times (it was a small loop, and I was eating up time to avoid being too early back at the rental). My first time down was *scary*. I'm pretty good at snowplowing on downhill skis, but these things just require more commitment. I made the loop turn at the bottom, but I'm sure it was ugly. Then I did it twice more, each time faster and with more control braking. The last time I went straight back to the parking lot, and double poled as hard as I could---for like 15 seconds.
The weirdest thing was that I expected to be sore today after doing this for over an hour the day before---but I wasn't sore. And I wasn't sore Friday morning (after the second day) either. So at first glance, XC Skiing seems to agree with me. (But it's probably just my woefully inadequate excess aerobic capacity making it impossible for me to get a real workout at altitude.)
At the Tahoe Ski-O Alex wrote about having mad clipping-in skills. The first day, I just clipped right in, first try, thank you very much. But the second day, it took me literally three minutes to get both boots clipped in---about 90 seconds each.
A much nicer day than the 25th.
I was getting my stuff ready when I looked over and recognized Swampfox. Talked for a few minutes, then hurried out onto the trails. I was smoother and less awkward than the first time, but still not good. SF caught up to me and we talked for few minutes more about technique and Attackpoint and the devotion I notice XC Skiers seem to have for their sport. But I didn't want to take up his time (and my skis were due back at the rental by six, so I was a little worried about that---it was supposed to snow overnight, and if I had to wait for the rental place to open, it would have cost me (1) an additional day of ski rental, (2) an additional day of car rental, and (3) it would have made me much later for my flight than I would care to be. I would have made it, but I would have been freaking out for the entire morning.
I had fishscale skis. If it had been a lot colder, SF said this would have actually been the best choice. But it was warmer, and I'm pretty sure they had no glide. I could manage sort of a running gait, but not a kick-glide-kick-glide smooth rhythm. (From watching youtube videos, I believe was wasn't pushing down hard enough on my kick ski---the lack of glide may have been just not enough kick.)
Again, it was a total blast. I did a bit steeper hill descent towards the parking lot three or four times (it was a small loop, and I was eating up time to avoid being too early back at the rental). My first time down was *scary*. I'm pretty good at snowplowing on downhill skis, but these things just require more commitment. I made the loop turn at the bottom, but I'm sure it was ugly. Then I did it twice more, each time faster and with more control braking. The last time I went straight back to the parking lot, and double poled as hard as I could---for like 15 seconds.
The weirdest thing was that I expected to be sore today after doing this for over an hour the day before---but I wasn't sore. And I wasn't sore Friday morning (after the second day) either. So at first glance, XC Skiing seems to agree with me. (But it's probably just my woefully inadequate excess aerobic capacity making it impossible for me to get a real workout at altitude.)
At the Tahoe Ski-O Alex wrote about having mad clipping-in skills. The first day, I just clipped right in, first try, thank you very much. But the second day, it took me literally three minutes to get both boots clipped in---about 90 seconds each.
Wednesday Jan 25, 2012 #
5 PM
XC Skiing (Classic) 1:06:03 2.98 km (22:09 / km) +51m 20:24 / km
ahr:151 max:168
My first time *ever* XC Skiing. At Happy Jack. No sign or tracks for any Swampfoxes, Snowsnakes, or Attack Badgers, although I did see a Jetta Sportwagen TDI with Colorado plates. Pretty sure that's a false sighting, though.
This was a real experience. In an email, SF mentioned I should bring $5 to pay for a fee, and---I forgot it. I arrived at the parking lot, walked to get a payment envelope and back to my car---And I was lightheaded from the altitude. Crap. I did come directly from Cincinnati (like 800ft) to Denver (5280ft) and then drove to Cheyenne (6062ft) to rent skis and then directly to Happy Jack (at 8460 feet), but it wasn't a good sign.
I drove into Laramie (7165ft) just enough to get cash, then back to the parking lot. I got some trail advice and a few words of ski instruction from a high school XC group, then I started off. A couple good things: I didn't fall. I had a funky rhythm that wasn't quite right, but not terrible. I stopped a lot to catch my breath and let my legs recover.
Overall, I was slower than a walking pace, but it was a real workout for me. Very fun. I definitely want to do it again.
As I got back to the parking lot, the wind was howling and blowing snow particles across the parking lot. I'd guess the wind was at least 55mph, maybe more. The ice particles stung my face *hard*. I assumed Swampfox would call this a light-to-moderate gale force wind, but later he told me it was the full show. (Although I recall that he has written about winds plus a shiny sheet of ice on the pavement, and I'm sure that would be much much worse than what I saw.)
This was a real experience. In an email, SF mentioned I should bring $5 to pay for a fee, and---I forgot it. I arrived at the parking lot, walked to get a payment envelope and back to my car---And I was lightheaded from the altitude. Crap. I did come directly from Cincinnati (like 800ft) to Denver (5280ft) and then drove to Cheyenne (6062ft) to rent skis and then directly to Happy Jack (at 8460 feet), but it wasn't a good sign.
I drove into Laramie (7165ft) just enough to get cash, then back to the parking lot. I got some trail advice and a few words of ski instruction from a high school XC group, then I started off. A couple good things: I didn't fall. I had a funky rhythm that wasn't quite right, but not terrible. I stopped a lot to catch my breath and let my legs recover.
Overall, I was slower than a walking pace, but it was a real workout for me. Very fun. I definitely want to do it again.
As I got back to the parking lot, the wind was howling and blowing snow particles across the parking lot. I'd guess the wind was at least 55mph, maybe more. The ice particles stung my face *hard*. I assumed Swampfox would call this a light-to-moderate gale force wind, but later he told me it was the full show. (Although I recall that he has written about winds plus a shiny sheet of ice on the pavement, and I'm sure that would be much much worse than what I saw.)