Training Log Archive: ernst

Oh glorious Craftsbury! Sun with intermittent flurries, the entire system had been groomed to perfection! Temps around 30. The plan was to easy ski for 1 - 2 hours as a "warm down" from yesterday's race. After warming up out to Duck pond, I figured I could explore the Village trail, since I had not been on it since the last running of the point to point marathon which I guess was nearly 10 years ago. Near the village I turned off to the commons trail which climbs up 120 - 150 meters up to the Commons, then back up to Elinor's Hill, up Sam's Run, and back via Ruthies where I met Michael, who was blazing on classic skis, so we stayed together on the downhill to halfway up on the race course to the lodge. A grandiose grand tour through deep woods, farm fields and 360 degree views. Vermont at its best! It's going to be a re-adjustment to ski on the manmade single tracks behind my house this coming week.

C • Oh glorious Craftsbury! 1

Craftsbury Marathon. Very unpredictable conditions. Tracks were glazed underneath, but new snow (they got 5 inches the night before) covered it up to a great extent. Snow prediction had been tentative, so multiple conflicting wax conditions floated around. For glide: CH 7 and LF 7 was a no brainer (I am not an HF guy - too expensive). I waited till morning for the kick wax. Since I knew about the new snow - we got caught in it on the way up Friday night - I went the no-klister route ( I am still a bit of a klister - hater (or phobe?) with 3-4 layers of Swix VR 40 over 2 layers of VR 50 over VG 35 basebinder over some klister residues from last weekend. That served me well.

Glide was comparable to others (good in the tracks, lousy off tracks). Kick was acceptable first loop then started to deteriorate since I really stayed in the most icy tracks for easier double poling. On the third and 4th loop stepped out on nearly every uphill and did my fast foot-stomping to maintain my kick. That and my fast transitioning in and out of tracks helped me to win over my rivals Jud and Michael: I beat Jud by 1 min and Michael by 2:5 minutes. (Jackson was: Jud ahead, I was 0.5 min behind, and Michael was 2 min behind) - and this inspite me missing the start! I did not have a watch and misjudged the time. As the blob of racers flew by me I had to step into my skis, and ski down the hill to turn 180; ended up starting 1 min 20 seconds behind gun time, and was about 2 minutes behind my peers.

But I slowly gained ground and greeted Larry B, Paul K., Mitch and others until I caught up with Michael on the third loop up Ruthie's run. He double poled most of the uphills while I was stomping, sometimes side by side. I was glad to not be alone for too long a stretch. Of course, in the first loop, all the Turbo women were sausing by, including Alex (Women started 5 min behind the men) before it all calmed down.

All in all conditions were fantastic, temps ideal (23 - 28) . While it seemed awfully long after Jackson, I was able to keep my overall energy going with 2 gels after loop 2 and 3 and Gatorade at Ruthie's feed station, all that after a heavy load of pancakes that were served for breakfast at N's B&B.

C • Late start 3

A little cooler today, so tried the waxables. Out with Jena first, then over the "trail system" at Spruce Hole. The new snow remained and all connectors were solidly covered with at least 2 inches, even the boundary connector. Restored all the tracks. How long will this round of snow cover last. It has been a roller coaster with about 5 episodes of near complete melting and re-covering. A wimpy winter, but nevertheless I can get my hours in. Had a chat yesterday with Eberhard at lunch about astronomy. When I mentioned my hours of skiing he (as several others) was completed baffled by the fact that here is enough snow around to ski.

First day of classes. Had to ski in with such superb conditions. So off early since I teach 8 - 11. Some sections were slow with the waxless skis, but I did not dare to skate, because of the College Woods section that has minimal snow under pine trees and lots of rocks showing. All went fine. On the way back at 4 pm, temps > 40, that section became worse, the rest was fine and temps were dropping. Added an extra loop on Adam's trails and added a loop with Jena at the end. Nice way to begin the 'Spring' semester.

First day of semester, but I did not have classes to teach. Sleeting and snowing in the morning, so much so that the U curtailed. Great! 2 inches of wonderful sleet/snow mix covered up the landscape including under all the evergreens. Fantastic skating, just like crust cruising in late winter but without the crust. First a loop with Jena (15 minutes) - she had a hard time keeping up with me on skaters. Then I eplored the field which was crusted over, but then continued to shelter and antenna field, and wood trails were just perfect for skating. A rare situation for January. Turned aournd, back home and then out and about Spruce Hole trails. Stayed on all the wide trails including the Solar / sand pit down and up.

Skiing in the storm. First with Jena around Clyde's. (15 minutes) then across the street. About 2 inches of new snow, some covering up the ice, but minimal where the weekend warm spell had uncovered the vegetation. Also some scraping on the hill down to Oyster R. Neighbor Tristan with his 2 very friendly dogs was running hard out and back. Then looped on almost all trails in the woods. Glad that all but very few connections were still skiable.