Training Log Archive: ernst

Looks like we are still in the "snow-belt" with a 2 - 8 inch range of snow. (Blue to green according to NOAA coloring. Kingdom Valley looks similar. North Country is suffering (unless they stopped measuring..). Presque Isle also needs more snow..... Bogburn and Lake Placid Loppet have been cancelled.... Damned El Nino....

C • Cover 3

Tried skating on Troy's field, but conditions were bad. The rain had left air pockets in the snow, where there was enough coverage. I sank in places very uneven. The only decent parts were the snow drifts at the E end of the field which were solidly packed. Then tried the wide trails at Spruce Hole - too soft here as well, and very bumpy in the foot tracks. So I bagged it after that and double poled home on my classic tracks.

With Jena around Spruce Hole. I am able to touch up the tracks with the Tele skis w. 2 quick layers of VR 50 (temps ~ 30F) which lasts just about for the duration. Halfway decent. The BrookDale access road has most of the snow (4 - 8 inches still). N Side of Spruce Hole has bare patches in the usual spots.

At Spruce Hole w. Jena. Conditions were bad after the rain storm (.7 inches) and the previous windy warm night (47F) and balmy day (43F). My ski tracks were obliterated on the surface, plus a walker trampled all over some of the best loops, thinking they were hiking paths. GRRR.

Then switched to Tele skis, and back out, hoping I could recondition some tracks. Before, on skinny skis, I sank right through some standing water. Teles were better. Best was the water-line road all the way down to the field. On my way back it felt like decent skiing. Also temps were dropping now. Need to have the February daily freeze-thaw cycle now to enable skate skiing on fields where there is just the right amount of snow. This leads to the saying:
When the maple sap is oozing, that's when I will be crust-cruising....

Got 3 inches of snow overnight, but with a 1/4 inch ice layer over the top. Rain and 50F in the forecast for this afternoon, so, while there was a break in the precipitation, I decided to touch up the tracks around Spruce Hole. Nancy took J for a walk on the road, so I was off free by myself. Very hard going the first time over, but second time was pleasantly easy, b/c the snow under the crust was nice and powdery. Kick was worsening as temps climbed to 30+. Perhaps the tracks will survive the rain and subsequent ice-over.

Buzzing around Spruce Hole w J. Oscar appeard out of nowhere and was very playful with Jena. She could care less, too old for such shenanigans. I had to follow his tracks to find his master - which turned out to be Inna's mother who frantically tried to walk up the Sandpit road in the deep snow. I elegantly skied diagonally down the pit and dog and master got reunited. Then back up and on with our loop. Lots of dirt in the tracks. Packed powder snow otherwise.

Then went back out and skied about every trail twice with a couple of exceptions. The N loop clockwise ended up being a fast single track through trees etc. Had to step out a couple of times for a bit of snow plowing. Great fun!

Arranged to meet Wally at the Boat Club. Cold day 10F with light wind. We skied together on the river, I showed him the V2. Did an occasional tempo forward, then circled a bunch. Tracks were hardened a bit, or rather, the overnight wind has blown them clean in places. But still nice for a good workout and balance training. Also met his friend (Charles ?) with the two retrievers. Then I met Andrea with her friend (??); struggled to get the skis on. They seem to be incompatible skis/boots. Andrea reported having tried out my Spruce Hole tracks - and that she liked it. They returned to the car to put on running gear. Also so a man icefishing with his two kids. They were dressed in thick layers.

Morning shuffle with J around Clyde's.

I went back to the Boat Club hoping to find good grooming. At first it was disappointing. Only a mini-loop in the flats added. M mostly just touched the worst bumps up and added a bit of needed width here and there. Was ready to quit after about 30 minutes, but then noticed a groomed track going on the river inlet (all smooth and flat) and it was fantastic! My skis were a bit slow but that enhanced my balance on the very smooth virgin curdoroy - I was the first out. Did two loops on the two inlets adding about 3.7 miles. Got a good V2 rhythm going and was able to delay the pole plant as long as I could to nearly synchronize with leg push. This was initially exhausting, but by concentrating on a smooth leg position/transition and only giving a smallish kick on the legs, eventually I was able to sustain it for the duration. I am having too much fun here! Made it back home at 9 am before the predicted on-slaught of the polar-vortex-cold-snap. Actually while I am writing this at 1:40 pm it is still pretty harmless, 20F and a bit of wind. Weather folks are good at dramatizing.

Obligatory pre-breakfast "run" for Jena (and me) during sunrise. Temps around 0 F but pleasant, no wind.

Went down to the Boat Club to check out if anything was groomed. It was but minimally, bumpy tracks, snow-drifted in places, and only the two field loops plus first wood-connector. No grooming on the hills and wood loops by the farm. Disappointing. Was wondering if the folks are loosing interest in skate skiing. But my suspicion was wrong. Talked to a youngster wo did classic skiing who informed me that the SM was broken but that Mike would soon start grooming again. Helas, as I was ready to turn in, there he was cruising with his Retriever in the passenger seat. Great. I'll come back soon.
Did some slow warm up, concentrating on efficient movement and on relaxing (trying to protect my lower back). Worked my way up to tempo V2's on the few stretches where the trail was smooth enough for balancing. Good work-out.

Then w. J. using the same shoes, but classic skis. A very pleasant 19F. Supposed to be a notch or two colder tomorrow (with wind!).