Updated Birkie Tips

 Comments were made by fellow students and expanded by ucanskixc.

Do not do any activities that you are not used to, in the 2 weeks before
the race.

The very basic minimum activity that will maintain your present fitness
levels is 20 minutes, every 4 days.

Just skiing an hour every second day is a more reasonable acceptable level for most students and will keep their sanity in the last 2 weeks before the big race.

Do not go overboard training, especially those who are older, recovery is not as
quick. Within the last two weeks there is not much you can do to improve, just hinder yourself. Do some stretching and hit the hot tubs.

Practice lifting one leg up and holding it up and then the other leg while skiing, is a great exercise. Imagine stepping over a pole, ski, or person at a bottom of a
downhill, which is a very real possibility.

Let the skis glide up at least a third of the hill. Do not snow plow unless
absolutely necessary. This will save your speed, muscles and your wax.

Start Power Grip is working well in icy conditions, and some are not using Klister. Plan and know how to apply base binder at the very least.

Do not change anything or try anything new which includes equipment, drink or food.

Use longer ski poles in faster conditions, if you wish. Just be sure you have tested it beforehand. Make sure your hand straps are working well and not releasing.

Nutrition and rest are both very important. Be sure to get a good sleep
the second night, before the race. The night before the race, it is
understandable that some excitement might keep you from getting a
good sleep.

Pasta, and or rice, with perhaps a bit of meat (hamburger) were a common
denominator. Do not eat salad the night of the race. Do not eat spicy food or any foods out of the ordinary.

Plan on using the washroom at least 3 or 4 times in the last few hours before the start of the race. Stay hydrated with water. This means if you are wearing a one piece skin suit, tie the top at the waist until just before the start.

Do not try eating sports bars or gel packs during the race, that you have not tried already. Are they a solid rock at minus 15C?

Do not push weights in the last 4 or 5 days before the race.

Do your ski and wax testing out at Islet Staging Area in the days before
the race, at the temperature and time that will most likely mimic race
conditions.

Never drink Gatorade or a Sports Drink while racing, without drinking at
least the same amount of water. Tell the volunteers what kind of drink
you want. Be sure to thank them as well. Stomach cramps are not
pleasant but very painful!

For Breakfast, oatmeal, cereal, fruit, banana peanut butter sandwiches,
eggs and toast, were some of the common denominators of most skiers.
Some skiers eat as close to the start of the race as possible. Some
racers, who will be racing at a higher intensity, will eat 3 or 4 hours before the race.

Do not use the legs much until you absolutely have too. Let the core and
the double poling help you along. Be sure ALL muscles are spent by the
time you get to the finish line.

The last 10 to 15 km of the race has looser snow, due to racing from other races. If
needed stop and re-wax. Remember to switch skis from right to left and
left to right, at Islet, as well.

Watch out for other skiers coming fast, especially at intersections. One
moment you will be skiing alone, and the next minute faster skiers from other
races (31 and 15km) will be right on top of you. Stay in the right lane
unless passing.

Know your pole length, so you can holler the length size of pole needed at the next feed station, if you broke a pole. Sweeps with radio also patrol each section so let them know too, if you see them. They maybe able to get a head start for obtaining a pole. Our practice of one pole skiing might come in handy. Do not get flustered, its a long race and you will not lose too much time.

In the days before the race do a complete equipment check of
everything. Have an extra pair of socks with you.

Carry a small waist pack with your keys, wallet, and some waxes needed for the day with a cork/scraper. Klister should be in individual sandwich bags.

Have boot covers and use them if needed, and make sure they work with the binding combination that you will be skiing with, that day. Some boot covers do not work with a double bar at the bottom.

Lay your gear out the night before and make sure you have everything
you need. Perhaps even take picture to make it easier for the next race.

Don't grab someone's gear unless you have made prior arrangements. It is always possible to miss the person you are waiting for at the finish line. Yes many tears have been shed for this oversight!

Make sure your gear is well marked with your name on it. After a race
your mind is not thinking clearly. Your skis, poles, and boots should already have your name on them if you did what your instructor mentioned to you in class.

It is likely you will be cold, tired, ready to cramp, have sore muscles,
hungry and thirsty. Have your under garments in place that is easily found by you.

Change out of every stitch of your racing clothing, and have nice, warm,
clothing that is easy to get into. Be sure to have warm foot wear too.
Have food and drink(chocolate milk?)also(Advil in a baggy too) in your clothing change bag, so you can get energy into you, even before you head for the feed tent.

A nice scented hand wipe is very nice after the race to rid yourself 

immediately of (salt, sweat, and snot. ugg)

Set a comfortable racing pace, in the first third of the race and then go
 harder if able. Do not let yourself get sucked up the racing. Pick out a few experienced people who you think you might finish close to and follow them for the first while.

Bring to the race site extra skis, poles, boots, clothing, just in case. Accidents and stuff being misplaced does happen.

Get your wax right and test it. Do not use tape wax or other suggested waxes for the race, unless you have tried it. Racing technicians are used to waxing for racers, not recreational skiers. Get your skis into the ski shop now, if you are going to have them do the glider.

Even put your wax-less skis in the car, the weather may change.

Bring your older boots with you as well. Being prepared makes your body and mind at ease. Equipment may be disappear or be misplaced.

Eat normal foods that you are used to eating in the days before, during
and shortly after the race.
Get bananas, oranges, potatoes, and some food and drink into you as soon as 

possible after the race.

Caffeine drug levels have been changed over the past few decades, so enjoy your coffee.

At the start of the race you should be dressed cool. Soon enough your 

heart rate will be up, and you will be in the trees and out of the wind.

Always be testing where is the best place to ski in the snow. KNOW where the best grip and glide is for your skis. Remember sunshine, shade and type of snow will change on the trail, so always be checking.

Start slow, do not start too hard. Do not overdue it, take it easy for a while and settle into a rhythm that you will be able to maintain for the complete race.

Remember to eat and drink at the feed stations. Do not skip even the first food station.

Bring some cash or plastic with you at the sign on, Friday. Prices are good for waxes, clothing, skis, etc.

If you drink alcohol, stop at least 3 days before. Drinking alcohol burns carbohydrates at a certain rate, which is not favorable to racing.

Allow enough time in the morning to get your breakfast, pack, wax, clear snow, scrape ice off the car and get to the race site.

Set two alarms, so that you can sleep comfortably, without being nervous about missing waking up before the race.

Be sure to be wearing the appropriate briefs, underwear and bra for the 

weather conditions. (NO cotton)

Know the course if at all possible, especially the last 5km of the finish 

line, so you can pace yourself accordingly.

Seed yourself properly, be honest with your expected finish time. You are a hazard, if you start with those around you, that are much faster.

Stay with your TECHNIQUE. THINK! THINK! THINK!

Perhaps next year, practice your technique even more.

Have FUN! Do you have your FACE MASK? Perhaps two or three? 

Over 8 hours later the sweeps come into the finish line. Very few people left around except some volunteers and the photographers. A sweeps job is not easy as they are on skis for 8.5 hours through all kinds of weather, and waxing.

Early November ride in and near Fairmont Hotsprings BC.

Early November ride in and near Fairmont Hotsprings BC. The smell of spruce is so much nicer than the city.  :)
 

First Experiences with Skin Skis

 

First observations of an old ski racer/instructor on the new #NNN moveable #binding on new #Nordic #skin #skis. I did not buy the top of the line #Salomon skin ski, but one that still had the same racing base and a slightly heavier core. In a way this is ok, because I have had some racing skis in the past that I have compressed and then blown apart.

Three-day old snow and air temperature was -3C to -4C. Today would have been perfect for hard wax and it would have been fast. I had #Swix red #glider, 0C to -4C which was in the ball park. I used a deicer in the kick area on the skins. Of course it is realized that it will take many glide wax hot waxes to get the skis to glide faster.

It should be mentioned that there are special cleaning solutions for the skins as well as a special glider/deicer roll on to help with glide in  the kick area. Most of the major #wax companies carry something for skin skis.

I tried the binding setup at +2, 0, -2. I found next to no grip at +2 and next to no glide. At -2 I found good glide and fairly good grip. At zero it was ok. I did not try -1, which probably would have been ok too.

Around corners, I found the outside edge of the binding catching on the track. This almost had me tumble a few times. After skiing multiple times I still find the bindings catching a bit on the track.

At all times, the grip would not hook up solid, till my ski had moved back a few inches. I suspect you must have a lazier kick and not be so forceful, i.e. run on your skis more.

When you come out of the tracks the looser snow would catch and snag your skis a bit. Yes, the skin skis do sing in the right snow conditions too. The skin skis also catch leaves, twigs and grass a lot more then either klister or hard wax.

Wifey who has been on skin skis for over 2 years now, says it takes time to adapt your technique to the skin skis. She says that you must glide on your heels a lot more than a waxable ski, in order to have good glide and not have the grip area snag.

Well let me tell you I was sure wishing I was on my 25-year-old waxable skis which would have been rockets today.

However, I was out to test how these skis were, so I had to suck it up. I will certainly put in several more hours before I can make an informed decision as to whether I like them. Perhaps if the snow was a bit warmer it would have been far better against a waxable ski? I did ski in very wet conditions and the skin skis worked well.

In the future this ski will only be used when the snow is very wet, but it does have a place in my ski bag.

                                         Get outside in nature, keep your eyes open and enjoy!!

I talked to the young moose and said good morning in a nice gentle soothing voice which has worked with other moose that I have skied close to. The picture looks like I am close to the moose but I am a still a fair distance away.

                                 The moose can be seen far in the distance along side the trail.

     The moose has moved off the trail less than 30 feet away and already blends into the bush.

Be sure to leave your comments and experiences with skin skis. Thank-you

Cold Weather Waxing (Old School) for #Nordic #Skiing

These instructions are for temperatures below Minus 18C.

Glide Zone  

I clean the base with wax remover. Wait for a half hour.

Sand the glide area with very fine silicon sand paper (at least 320 grit.) 

Fibertex the base (30 passes) in the same direction. (why?, because, lol.)

Hot wax with Swix CH4 and scrape while still warm

Hot wax again with CH4 let it wait for an hour or so and then scrape, brush, several times. Put outside scrape brush, several times.

Hot wax some cold weather powder. Scrape, brush a few times.

Set outside to cool

Brush with a horsehair brush

Then I take some fiberlene and wrap in a cork and cork again (30 passes)  

Kick Area

Scrape what kick wax you can off. Then use wax remover. Sand with 120-180 (or lower) grit silicone sand paper. Cross-ways, angle ways, both ways, and then length ways. Fibertex, Clean with wax remover, wait a half hour.

Iron in some cold base wax

Then use some -10C to -30C kick wax. The first few layers you need to be very careful not to mix the kick wax with the base wax. 5-7 layers of VR30 

Swix is common around these parts but each brand have a complete line

Cold weather wax takes a lot of effort and elbow grease. Keep your mouth closed while scraping, lol. Yes cold weather skiing is strength training as it sometimes feels so SLOOOW!

Below are some blueberry pancakes with Chia seeds, Flax seed, and Hemp hearts, for cold weather Nordic Skiing recovery. o yah! 

Dry-land Diagonal Stride Tips

Points to remember for dry-land diagonal stride:

Keep hips forward, think of squeezing cheeks together (1 loonie>2 toonies), feel the hip flexors

Lean forward from the ankles until almost falling forward. (Have a short aww moment)

Weighted leg should land with a slightly bent leg (use bone support not so much the muscles)

Land on the ball of the foot

Weight shift, so zipper (belly button) lands over the foot. Push hip over toe.

Keep the head up and look down the track, to keep butt from sticking out

Use a quick knee dip and push off, forward not up(boing)

No bear walking. Arms and legs work in opposites.

Keep elbow bent, swing elbow forward and back with bent elbow

Drive elbow back, rotates from the shoulder. keeping arm at basically at a 90-degree bend

Keep elbows out from your side (chicken wing)

Never plant poles in front of the ankle, always behind

Use the lats/back to power the poling, rather than the triceps 

Poles help us to continue our momentum (on snow this will be pole assisted glide)

Poles are for push not for balance

Practice eating and drinking in class and in training, so when racing it will feel natural

Take your poles with you when you run, even if you do not use them.

GRAVITY, CORE, BODY WEIGHT, and then Muscle.

2019-2020 #Nordic #Skiing Season start

Well another fall season is upon us, as we wait for snow to come and stay. Dry-land training is important for the body and the mind, as most of us switch from summer activities to #Nordic #skiing.
Ski walking without poles was the first step.
Use a gradient to do this exercise


Some of the more important points that were mentioned:
-Using Gravity and falling forward from the ankles, bring your hips past the ankles, with a leaning forward straight back, before a short quick knee dip which would simulate the locking of wax into the snow
-your arms and legs work in opposites which means left leg right arm, and then right leg left arm. Sometimes this is confusing when you are trying to get the motion of the legs. (no bear-walking)
-movement of the arm with elbow flexed 90 degrees forward, is from the shoulder joint, and elbow drives back flexed as well
-each time you take a step you should feel your whole body go from one side to the other. Think about moving your zipper or belly button 15cm(6 inches) from one side over to the other on the forward leg
-your leg should be not bent too much when your mid-foot hits the ground. Bone supported not muscle supported is the key to not fatiguing the leg muscles as much. If your leg is flexed too much there is no ability to compress ski and wax into the snow
-your movement should be flowing with no rigidness
-Always keep your mind thinking about the movement. Do not go on auto-pilot!

Next you used your poles, which for some made your leg movements incorrect. If this happens, you need to go back to ski-walking without poles until the leg movement is mastered.
-a few exercises of just holding the poles in the balance point while ski-walking was the first step.
-then you let your poles drag on the ground with just your thumb and first finger controlling the poles just enough that it was not bouncing around. Each person's poles are a different length, so only you can really tell where the pole should be planted.
- do not swing your pole past your hand
-once again your elbow is flexed at 90 degrees both forward and backwards.
-there is next to no extension of the triceps, normally
-planting of the pole occurs with you thinking of driving the basket into to the ground with your elbow, not your hand, The hand is just there in front of the elbow, but the power will occur when you drive with the elbow.
-hands are shoulder width apart for men and hip width apart for the ladies
-elbows go straight forward and back
-some loading of the pole will also occur with the knee dip timing
-poles are for push not for balance

Keep your head up and look down the trail and watch where you step. This will help with knowing how to read the snow, once it comes.
Try to do your homework of 5 hours of ski specific training, with hopefully at least 10 hours of training a week.
Work on your core as much as possible
THINK THINK THINK!
GRAVITY, CORE, BODY WEIGHT, and then muscle.
There are 113 days left before the Birkie. :)

Mistakes you should NOT make before a Long Distance #Nordic #Ski #Race

-Decide to race long with no preparation

-Forget about your technique (do not think), go back to your old habits and ski on automatic pilot

-Buy new equipment and not test it out several times before a big race

-Not ski long several times every couple of weeks leading up to the race

-Get injured or sick and try to shrug it off and train hard anyway

-Go real long within the last 10 days or so of the race

-Do not be bothered to prepare your skis

-Try to fit too much training too close to the big race

-Not get enough sleep in the 48-72 hours before the race

-Donate blood within 3 months of a big race

-Eat strange foods that disagree with your body in the 48 hours before the race

-Do other activities that you are not used to 

There are many other mistakes that you can make but these are just a few that come to mind right away.