Week 11, Nordic Trail Analysis, Part 1, #langrenn

Well it was a beautiful winter day for a ski. Wax was easy and there was just enough snow to cover up the ice.
The first point I need to mentioned that I just assumed everyone knew, is like driving, we always stay on the right hand side of the trail unless passing.
The other exception is when you are going around a sharp corner and you need to control your speed. You must check your shoulder first to make sure there is no passing you.

So let us look at some of the points that you remembered.
In many places a couple of double poles and then go into a high tuck with poles level with the ground, elbows squeezing the poles into the body and hands turned in and high enough to protect the neck, with the fingers turned into each other it will warm the fingers, drop the HR and be relaxing.
Switch your skis left to right and right to left to counter uneven wear of the wax, especially the kick wax, before you actually have to re-wax. That move takes normally no more then 15 seconds and is good for another 5km or so at a guess.
When safe to do so, leave room for your outside turning ski for snow plowing which also means switching tracks where needed.
Trails are much narrower in some places then what you are used to, at say SWC or GB.
When it comes to pacing start much easier then what you want to. Think about being able to maintain that speed or faster in the last 5km. Do not get caught up with all the excitement which is sometimes hard to do.
At the start line dress cooler then what you would think, because soon enough you will be warm.
Use a high tuck as much as possible to conserve energy especially if it is windy.
When gliding pull your toes up to the top of the boot and keep heel down.
If you can draft a skier in front and do 2 double poles (dp) to their 3 dp's then you have saved that amount of energy.

Every track skier is happy when they see the grooming machine in after completing the trails. :)