Training Log Archive: jima

Things chilled, set up very nicely overnight and with the groomers working there magic conditions were great once again. Hard and fast just about everywhere.
A few thin spots, but easy to get around.
More energy than yesterday - a Gu just before I started then another at about 50 minutes.

Stopped in the XC center, chatted with Kale and Jane for a bit. Kale had mounted my new Skintecs, so after a short break, swapped boots and headed out for a quick test.
No wax on the glidey parts and the skins grabbed a bit on softer stuff at first, so was lurching a bit.
Got in the tracks in the stadium and they were great.
Figured out:
1) Skins aren't going to grab well on chunky/lumpy hard granular.
2) Very hard glazed sections are problematic as well.
3) It takes a few minutes for the skiing muscles to switch from skating to classic - don't rush it.

Think this was a good buy - will be nice to be able to grab and go in variable conditions when classic is in order. Will need to see how they do in several inches of fresh powder.

Not a lot of energy - mentally great to get out, but no oomph. Effort felt harder than HR indicates.

Great conditions - 4-5" of heavy-wet packed down nicely. Firmer with some ice specks in spots (fast) and softer powder in others (slower).

Think I'd had warm wax on - rubbed on some more T5. Felt good - wasn't dragging, which I'd been expecting given the warm wet powder.

A few other folks out - some GNA and some tourers.

Jane was holding down the fort in the XC center on her own - looking a bit flustered, as there were more skiers showing up than they'd expected.

Also bought a pair of Skintecs and bindings - groomers hadn't tracked anything, just flat packed, so wasn't bummed that the bindings need to be mounted before I can test them out.

After work run partway up Mt Rowe from Gilford Elementary. Plan had been to do the loop - up the Blue Trail, Orange over to Purple and down. Plan changed as it became apparent the western facing hillside (not southwest as I thought) still had some significant snow on it, even thought it was snowshoe/boot packed. Quite a slog as it had warmed up enough to be soft with slush underneath in many spots. Sun was starting to go down and I wasn't keen on finishing up in the dark.
Made it up to the wine tables, took a couple pictures, then headed back down. Took the Yellow trail shortcut straight down for the first bit, then the lower Blue trail - about 32 minutes up, 14 minutes down. Should have gone back along the longer upper portion of the Blue trail - less straight-down nerve wracking on soft mush over variable ice.