Dry-land Training

                              Picture taken on the East end of Rundle, above Canmore

Your homework was to do at least one 2-3 hour ski walk a week. Most of you did manage to do it, and those that did found a 3 hour ski walk, a real challenge. The more vertical terrain the better. Be sure to always be prepared for changing weather.

 For the last several weeks you have been learning ski specific dry-land exercises.

You have learned ski walking, ski striding, ski bounding.

You have learned dry-land double poling, uphill.

You have learned how to do the dry-land off-set

You have learned how to do the dry-land herringbone.

Last night you learned the double pole, stutter step, which is used on flatter terrain. This is where you are falling forward, engaging your core and squeezing your butt cheeks, just before you double pole. Placement of your poles is not written in stone, because everyone has different length poles.
Those that have longer poles, must place their poles further back. The poles do not tripod, and baskets never fling forward past the hands. Hands are shoulder width apart, elbows flared, depending on the strength of your shoulders, and baskets plant within roughly 6 inches of your feet. After the double pole, your feet move real quick (normally 3 foot stutter).

Mental toughness to keep going and to keep thinking, about your technique, while suffering, i.e. heart rate elevated, will always be helpful.

Let's hope the SNOW COMES SOON!!  

Fall ski training classes have started again for another season.

It is always a pleasure to meet another new class of students. I wait with anticipation, wondering about the diversity of the class and how many students will be very fit or a bit weaker. Of course there are students that are also returnees and you can see how much they have improved over the summer season.
The class started with the basic ski walk up a gradual hill. Weight on one bone supported leg with hip behind the ankle, then over the ankle and then a quick knee drop and then spring as the hips come past the ankle. If you did not take a step forward you would fall on your face. The landing for the next leg is once again in a bone supported leg position.
Then you worked on making sure there was a good weight transfer by ski walking up a series of pylons up the gradual hill.
The arm motion took some correcting, as some were not walking with arm and leg working in opposite movement.
On the way back down the hill you pretended to plant a pole and go around it with the shoulders over the ankles, and the hips dropped to load the leg muscles.
After much practice we switched things up and practised somewhat stationary double poling without poles. First we pretended to flick the water off our hands. The elbows did not straighten. Then you worked on elbows slightly wider then the hands. The stomach is stretched before contracting and hips come forward.
As you whipped the hands downward the knees collapsed as would happen when loading the poles by body weight, only as the hips starts to pass the ankles.
The tempo was increased to a very fast real racing tempo, while stationary and forcefully breathing out. If you blow out you will breathe in.
A core stomach exercise was done by one person laying down on their back and grabbing the other persons ankles. The person on the ground raise their legs to the person standing then had their straight legs thrown down wards, while the person on the ground tried not to have their legs be thrown to the ground. It is a very quick way of determining how strong a persons stomach is.
Then it was back to more ski walking up the small hill. This time on the way back down you paired up with grasped hands one pulling and one resisting back down the hill. Shoulders stay over the ankles, back upright, and hips dropped.
 next exercise had you skipping up the hill 2 skips on one side of the pylons and then on the other side.
Continued pulling going back down with partners taking turns on who was pulling from the downside of the hill.
Next exercise was to hop up the hill on one leg first on one side of the pylon and then the other side. Four reps up the hill with each leg doing it twice.

Homework is to try and get out and do at least a 2-3 hour ski walk on hilly terrain in one session with at least 5 hours of ski specific training for the week.
The class finished up with a bit of stretching though I like stretching in a hot tub.

A lot more was mentioned, but that is what we will mention for now.

Being Injured with #Spinal #Stenosis

Most of us at one time or another get hurt or injured. Spinal stenosis is not something to take casually!

Over use injures take a lot longer to heal as I have been training for over 5 decades. You have had a lot of fun and you have probably not stretched enough.

Perhaps your technique changed, your boots and/or shoes are worn out, or you over extended yourself.

Some of the areas of treatment you may have tried are medication from the doctor, the chiropractor, physiotherapist, certain exercises, ice and heat therapy.

Mental anguish happens to varying degrees and it is no fun. Sometimes you do not want to out of bed. To even think about standing which you know is going to hurt, keeps you sitting.

Being injured affects not only you but those around you. Your family, workmates and especially your spouse, all are concerned. The longer you are injured the more everything around you changes. They continue to ski and you are left behind.

Its very hard not to eat lots, and you gain weight, as food for some is a comfort.

Limping everywhere, bent over and bow legged like an old man, hurting and in pain is just not fun. The pins and needles, fussiness, in the legs is not pleasant.

Crawling literally into bed and then silently crying while trying to go to sleep because you are in pain is just not fun.

When your hips stop hurting for a short period then your hip flexor or knee hurts instead. The doc says that I need a knee replacement in the next few years and many of my friends have already done so.

You wonder how much longer??!! I have been told that 1 to 2 years before there might be a fairly full recovery is perhaps a possibility. Surgery is not really an option, as many studies show that in 2-8 years the ones opting for surgery are no further ahead.

You cannot push too hard or too easy. No one can tell you exactly either so you are an experiment of one.

Ah well, pass me the Advil and I will go for a short easy bike ride, as the snow has all disappeared for this year.  :) 



Well 7 more months have passed and I am a bit more mobile. Being almost bed ridden for several months has made me realize just how precious being healthy and mobile really is. I have gained over 15 pounds in the last year. My maximum heart has dropped from 187 to 160 in the last year. Resting HR has gone up from 39-44 to 49-53. I have used HR monitors since 1979, so I know a fair amount on how to use them. I have not done any MVO2 tests for some time, but I fear it might have dropped about 25-30 numbers too, guessing low 40's now. Well I hope to have a good year coaching, and get in some skiing.

#Nordic #Ski Tips on #Summer #Training, (the snow is going, waa)!

The following question was asked of me, by a very good up and coming LADY Nordic ski athlete.
"I hope to be able to have some really good summer training.
What are some things that you have learned from your time as an athlete?"
My comments are made from my experiences of over 4 decades of racing,instructing and coaching. #ucanskixc. If they disagree with your coach, go with your coach, as he knows you far better then I. However, many times we are saying the same thing in a different way. The video clips at the bottom are my way of backing up somewhat, what I have said, below.
Do not be discouraged if some exercises are not doable right now.
Train with those that are better then you, but not all the time. It is good to get out there and do some training on your own. Watching others and how they are approach a given situation, just before you get to it, will allow you decide to take the same line, or perhaps take a better line of your own. 

There are certain standards that I feel are needed.
No extra body fat, if you are going to get serious.
You should be able to do an L-sit and hold for a minute, as well as super man push-ups. 20-30 Pull ups and some L-sit pull-ups, should be doable, hopefully. I am firm believer in pullups.
Hanging vertical sit-ups should be a piece of cake. Go to the playground and hook unto the ladder or find a tall friend. The vertical sit-up uses lots of hip flexors and core.
You need to have a high power to weight ratio!!You must love the hills and eat them up.
Say "I love hills"!!
Also try to train high and sleep low, if you are able?
Train in the most miserable weather conditions, no excuses.
Squats of at least body weight, working up to double body weight, for 3setsX10reps should be a goal. Be sure to do a warm and cool down set as well. Work up to doing lots of heavy, double body weight dead lifts, too(3X10). Pull logs, and large rocks, use heavy sleds for pulling, both forward and backwards.
Body weight: Stomach should be a six pack and the legs ripped and you should be able lift the skin off the legs, arms etc. Its fat, not muscle, if you cannot lift the skin off the muscle.
Ski specificity is so important. Lots of roller skiing and roller blading with ski poles, IF there is no snow.
Always be thinking technique, never go on automatic pilot. The only music I want to hear, is my heart rate, breathing, and the sound of the wind, etc., not music.
You need to work on the deltoids with high pulls, etc., for all the high elbows double poling. Sore rotator cuffs are painful and long lasting!!
Use the Ski-Erg if you can find one, pulling 200 watts for 30 pulls is a start, 350 watts for men. The Jacobs ladder, doing 500 feet in 5 minutes is common goal, for starters.
Always run with ski poles, the more body parts you use in training, the better, safer too. The heart needs to be working and use to, sending blood out to the WHOLE body, not just the lower or upper body.
Minimum, an hour ski/run/roller ski in the morning, slowly, and another hour to two hours (for running your dog) in the afternoon, plus scheduled coaches training. Go for an all day hike with poles, every 10 days or so, carrying a bit of weight in your day pack as well. Go for a mountain bike for several hours and take a dip in ice cold glacier water, brr! Alternating hot and cold dips will help with blood circulation.
Avoid sugar except real honey, maple syrup and dark chocolate, yum.
I tended to avoid meat in the couple of days, leading up to racing.
Use a slack line, bocce ball, and walk along the tops of those metal fences that are at schools, for your balance.
Stretch lots. Doing the splits and putting your palms on the ground should be doable. It is very important to have very flexible ankles so that in classic, your kick wax is on the snow for as long as possible. So stretch those Achilles tendons and calf muscles. Be sure to stretch those forearms, lats, triceps too.
Always try to race every two or three weeks to keep the mind sharp, even if it is just local time trials.
You should be able to recover at least 80 beats in 2 minutes.Fast recovery is so important in racing! A 100 beat recovery, in 2 minutes is very good!  ie (190>90)
Always stay with your technique, and gradually work up your HR, till you can race without the technique falling apart.
You need to do speed work. For example, get on a bike and do some 10-15 second on 45 sec off, spins, as fast as you can for an hour, ie135+rpm.
Do lots of stutter stepping for 15 seconds on, 45 seconds off, using the arm pumping action too, for an hour.
I rarely did interval training but when I did, I did 3min on 2 off, 4on/2off, 5on/2off and 6on/2off, repeat for an hour. The fastest way to get fit is to race. BUT always have recovery time.
Keep a diary not just for training, but also a separate wax diary.
You should be able to hold 10 HR beats below max for an hour.
The leaner you are, the meaner you are, BUT you must have lots of ski muscle.
50% of the time is spent climbing in a race, so do lots of hill climbing, the longer the hill, the better!
Get on snow as much as you can in the summer, even if it is just one weekend a month.
Grab rock skis and ski as late as you can into the spring. Run on your skis from snow patch to snow patch, through the knee high cold water, if you have too.   :)
A key factor for an awesome summer is to stay uninjured and healthy. That means get your sleep at night, 8-10 hours depending on age. Be like an animal and lay down for 20-30 minutes after eating. If you can, get a massage and hit the whirlpools. If nothing else Epsom salts in the bathtub.
Do not double pole below 45 degrees bend, from upright. This is for the long haul of life. Just keep falling towards your moving center of gravity. That means your hands will never brush you calf muscles, but will be just around or above the knee.
I think it is very reasonable to average at least 25 hours per week of ski specific training for you this summer.??
As long as there is no lightning, get out in that rain, wind, sleet, not many bugs (he-he), this summer. "WHEN IT RAINS, I TRAIN" was always my motto.
Practice running straight through the bush, no trails, ducking and weaving as it develops great hand, eye, and feet coordination and of course wear glasses and  appropriate clothing . Pretend you are chasing a deer or Mantracker is after you, lol.  
Get a heart rate monitor. Its used for making sure you are going SLOW enough, (125-145) and not just fast enough. A good coach should always be pulling on the reins, not cracking the whip.
Run on dirt not pavement. Replace your shoes frequently; you do not want shin splints.
Make sure you have eye blocker and ear plugs for sleeping in the summer time. Sleep in cool air, be outside as much as possible.
Suggested goals for vertical jumping, (40%> of height), as well as the standing broad jump (1 1/2 times your height >).
Some of the following weight lifting exercises that are slow and controlled, that I like are: dumb bell curl and press, push downs, overhead cable triceps extensions, side lying lateral raises, lat pull downs with the rope, seated rows, one arm dumbbell rows, T-bar rows with abdominal support, back extensions, machine add and abduction, donkey calf raises, high pulley crunches with the rope, side bends with dumbbells. There are of course many variations, but you have to start some place.
Get a ski resume done, and try to raise more sponsorship. 
O ya, get out there and Have FUN!!

Links for watching and getting ideas of your own.
http://skike.com/en/home/skike-the-original-cross-skates_index.0.0.0.html?c=CA Site is fine though Firefox tries to scare you for Skike roller skis, off road too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZZGkokZ0E0 Ladies Norwegian team training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8u8bvdEkJ0 Therese Johaug 6 pack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0oeHjca6Tk  Therese doing gymnastics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7gokPJTuWA  Justyna with 6 pack and ripped, hiking and then at 7'05" she is roller skiing pulling a tire. Notice how lean she is, no fat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiz37oPKZyI Marit at the 18 second mark shows ripped abs and strong upper body.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFfoqCgsZMU Jessie Diggins giving it 101% at around the 2min 12 sec, with clips of a team being serious as well as having fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tux7AlCHyU  Kiki and Jessie talk about strong healthy bodies and being active all the time, for our whole lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P_wzZ1sIXw Jesse’s favourite core exercise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CltMbFAz2Oc Jessie talks about injury and spending 2 hours on a spin bike at a time, ugg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YXoispkigM Jessie doing a MVO2 max test.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5TP-Ameq9E Ladies downhill ski team training hard with some dry land exercises
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bm7uE19MBE Marit Bjorgen has some very lean strong arms and big strong legs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQv7g7-94u0  Marit roller blading on gravel as well as on pavement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzA3M0ciskQ Kalla does some training in the wet and then they show some weight training, vertical sit-ups at 3’45,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRXB5vEOmC8&spfreload=1 Strength training being implemented in the early 1990’s for Nordic skiers, bah it was several decades earlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5KUhVHvmlQ Petter Northug doing a bit of training.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPsME8-gSDI Russian men with Alexander Legkov doing some dryland training.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zCCgGB6hE Part 2 of Alexander Legkov

Nordic Skiing with Half Skate to Offset Skate Exercises

Its always nice to see moose. Can you see it? That's why I love the great outdoors, nature, the wind and sun on the face!

Go to late Feb of 2013 for more about offset/half skate.
As you all know, the lesson plan was to review one skate and move on to two skate. However the nice snow had turned to pretty hard granular ice! The warm-up trail around the lake was dicy, and you had to be quick on your feet.

So half skate to offset skate it was.
-First exercise was half skate in the tracks without poles
-remember to have your shoulder over the edged ski, flex, edge, pushover
-the next several exercises consisted of heel to toe touch, switching tracks on every skate, falling onto the ski that was out of the track, and pushing yourself back to an upright position onto the ski that was in the track
-do not anticipate falling onto the ski that is out of the track, but glide on a flat ski, on the ski that is in the track. Relax
-poles were then added and the above exercises were done again
-there is a 3 point touch to the half skate and the offset skate!
-the hips still come forward as in all double poling
-the double poling action still has the poles planting beside the feet. That is why you must have your feet return heel to toe, with the skis under the hips. Relax
-arm action of the poling has you poling down the ski, till your hands get near the hips, and then the push becomes like a j-stroke, in the direction that your edged ski is pushing
-all exercises were done alternating the pushing foot every few lane returns 
-half skate or the marathon skate, is a very useful technique that can be used to pass others uphill and on the flats, when the skate lanes are blocked. The half skate will give your legs a bit of a rest if needed.

Off set skating exercises began by going around the island on the lake which had been skate groomed, in both directions. You just had to avoid the puddles!
-exercises that were added, included learning what hand should be the high hand. You must be proficient offsetting, to either side. High hand goes to the inside of a turn, or to the uphill side of a slope with exceptions, of course.
- a slight uphill slope was then added
-the feet push equally, but the high hand glide foot, glides a bit further
-timing with quick feet were emphasized. You should be a tick tock like a metronome
-you switched the high hand each time up, so you did not favour one side over the other
-you then practised switching hands half way up the hill as well
-those of you who were able, practised with a little hop to get up the hill even quicker

The class then moved over to a steeper hill and continued to practise the offset. Heart rates went up. For some the steeper hill made their technique better, and for some, it was a bit much, but at least it was a short hill

Class was over before you knew it.
Keep skiing, be safe out there and enjoy yourself

Nordic Skiing with Free Skate to One Skate Exercises

Our class today was a review of free skate, moving into one skate.
We started class by looking at the classic skis of some class mates that had raced the Canadian Birkie.
It was noticed that it was very hard to tell which ski was left and which one was right, from the worn off wax on the inside edge. There were some that switched skis left to right and right to left half way through the race. However because it was snowing the snow was slow, and there were very few that had to snow plough.  There was not a lot of herringbone either.
A few common denominators of the skis were, too much wax in the groove and the glide area had not been brushed and scraped well enough. There was also ski grunge on some skis.
We then looked at the skate skis before going outside,which were mostly ok.

After a warmup around the lake, the class started off with free skating without poles. I made it very clear that I teach direction of ski travel, and as speed increases the ski V narrows.
The first exercise consisted of free skating with bent arm drive both forward and back keeping arms going parallel to the gliding ski, without poles.
-exercise consisted of concentrating on putting the ski down flat, thinking about nose knee toe. Balance is key.
-exercise consisted of always having a heel-toe recovery while doing all exercises
-exercise consisted of pairing into partners and the one behind looking to see if your ski tracks indicated that you put the ski down flat.
-exercise consisted of landing on an outside edge just before you land on a flat ski.
-exercise consisted of pushing the whole ski out to the side like peeing on a fire hydrant. This also allows the fresh blood a chance to enter your legs and relax.
-exercise consisted of dragging some snow with the inside edge of the tail. This exercise is to help those who were not recovering the ski low enough and try avoiding having the tip pointing down.
 -exercise consisted of free skating with back bent at 90 degrees with hands clasp behind their back like a speed skater.
-same exercise with their back bent at 135 degrees.
-next exercise consisted with the poles held behind your back on your hips, concentrating on the hips and poles turning all at one time
-exercise consisted of one skate double poling with a tap, tap, pole, over, tap,tap pole
-exercise consisted of tap, pole,tap, pole
-exercise consisted of pole, skate, pole, skate.
-exercise consisted of peaking, duck, and over. Some of the students were getting no flexion at the knee and ankle.
--exercise consisted of double poling in diagonal tracks the practising one step double pole.Concentrating on bringing the hips forward.
-exercise consisted of jumping forward bringing the hips forward
-exercise consisted of one skate consisting of floating and gliding on a flat ski, as the arms were brought forward. Relax and Float!

Nordic Skiing and The Canadian Birkie Notes, 2015

Comments were made by fellow students and expanded by ucanskixc.

 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. Talk to your body, and tell it will be undergoing severe physical activity! O ya!

Do not do any activities that you are not used to, in the 2 weeks before
the race. Playing soccer, swimming, indoor baseball, etc. only if you have to, in the last week or so.

The very basic minimum activity that will maintain your present fitness
levels is 20 minutes, every 4 days. Even if you are sick leading up to the race, but are healthy within 4-5 days before the race, do not worry your body will come around. Many a gold medal has been won by those who were sick and then they had some enforced rest.

Just skiing an hour every second day, is a more reasonable acceptable level for most students and will keep their sanity.

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 as well.

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 on applying base binder at the very least.

Do not change anything or try anything new, that includes, waxes, skis, poles, boots and clothing. Go with what you have practised with.

Use longer ski poles in faster conditions, if you wish. Just be sure you have tested it beforehand.

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.

Do not try eating sports bars or gel packs during the race, that you have not tried already.

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!

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. Why, because as you know from class, it takes less then 15 seconds to switch skis and your skis have been worn off on the inside edges.

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 radios also patrol each section so let them know to if you see them. They maybe able to get a head start for obtaining a pole for you. 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.
Lay your gear out the night before and make sure you have everything
you need. Perhaps even take a picture, to make it easier to pack for the next race.

Carry a small fanny 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.

Don't grab someones gear unless you have made prior arrangements. It is always possible to miss the person you are waiting for at the finish line. Yes 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 and easy to put on.

Change out of every stitch of your racing clothing, and have nice, warm,
clothing that is easy to get into after the race. 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 by the racing. Pick out a few experienced people who you think you might finish close to, and follow them for the first while.

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 who are at the start, 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.

Being prepared makes your body and mind at ease. Equipment may be disappear or be misplaced.
Bring to the race site extra skis, poles, boots, clothing, just in case. Accidents and stuff being misplaced, does happen.

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 while racing as to where the best place is 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 aid 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 favourable to racing.

Allow enough time in the morning to get your breakfast, pack, wax, and 

get to the race site.

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

After the race if you have exercise cough, suck on some dark chocolate around 50-70%. 

If someone takes pictures of you PAY for them. Decades from now they will bring back rich memories! It will be well worth the $10 or so. :)

Have FUN!

Over 8 hours later the sweeps come into the finish line. Very few people left around except some volunteers and the photographers.