Training Log Archive: kensrIn the 28 days ending Feb 28, 2009:
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Saturday Feb 28, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 53:00 [2] 10.3 mi (5:09 / mi)
All day retreat for Y board strategic planning. Then home to chop up frozen trails. Snagged the groomer against a boulder and popped the shear pin. Fixed that, but had stalled the Bombi. So went and skied while the gas evaporated.
Still choppy, as it takes several passes to smooth things out. Lumpy granular, fast.
Then fired up the Bombi at dusk and finished grooming. Temp had dropped 10 degrees once the sun dropped down. Snow much more brittle at 20F and groomed really well. By then it was too late to want to ski some more, so left it for tomorrow. Unless I do the ski-o at Saratoga.
Still choppy, as it takes several passes to smooth things out. Lumpy granular, fast.
Then fired up the Bombi at dusk and finished grooming. Temp had dropped 10 degrees once the sun dropped down. Snow much more brittle at 20F and groomed really well. By then it was too late to want to ski some more, so left it for tomorrow. Unless I do the ski-o at Saratoga.
Friday Feb 27, 2009 #
Road Running (Chester via PO) 56:50 [3] 6.0 mi (9:28 / mi)
Rain with temps in the 30's, so decided to go for a run at dusk. Melted the snowpack a little, but still have close to 2'. Will be fun to groom once it sets up like rock.
Note
Birkie -- 50 km wave 2; sub 3 hrs this year!
Thursday Feb 26, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:05:00 [2] 10.2 km (6:22 / km)
Sunny and warm, temps still in lower 30's at dusk. Top layer of snow pack soft as it has yet to transform to granular. Skiing surface soft; skied gently.
Wednesday Feb 25, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Catamount Trails) 1:48:00 [3] 17.5 km (6:10 / km)
Stopped on my way down after a day in St Albans (4:30AM start this morning!). First half hour in twilight and then fully dark skating the trails by feel. Flat wandering terrain, so not too tough. Finally moved onto the lighted loops for the last half hour. Sparsely lighted -- pole every hundred yards or so.
Thin but adequate cover. Not recently groomed, so chopped up and lumpy (yeah, I know -- deal with it).
Thin but adequate cover. Not recently groomed, so chopped up and lumpy (yeah, I know -- deal with it).
Tuesday Feb 24, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:10:00 [3] 12.0 km (5:50 / km)
Snow much firmer than yesterday. Switched from o-poles to race poles and worked well.
Monday Feb 23, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 33:00 [3] 5.0 km (6:36 / km)
Came home to 10" of new snow. Got out the plow to clear the drive to the house, took care of that and then noticed one of the tires was dead flat. Not much left of that tire.
Have 26" of settled snow now. Groomed late afternoon and skied a couple hours later. Hadn't consolidated, so chopped it up into sugar snow pretty fast. Was going stop and to groom again and then realized we're supposed to be practicing on this stuff, so let it be. Finally got fed up with it and regroomed into perfect corduroy once I finished. Should be hard and fine tomorrow.
Have 26" of settled snow now. Groomed late afternoon and skied a couple hours later. Hadn't consolidated, so chopped it up into sugar snow pretty fast. Was going stop and to groom again and then realized we're supposed to be practicing on this stuff, so let it be. Finally got fed up with it and regroomed into perfect corduroy once I finished. Should be hard and fine tomorrow.
Sunday Feb 22, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Birkie trail) 59:00 [3] 14.2 km (4:09 / km)
Mosquito Brook north. Yesterdays sugar snow set up firmly, so skiing was fast and easy. Only 4 sec/km slower than race pace, with a lot less effort.
Saturday Feb 21, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Birkiebener Race) 3:23:58 [4] 50.0 km (4:05 / km)
New snow last night 1". Temp mid teens. Didn't do any grooming, so we had loose snow on the whole course. Used MD77/HF6BW/FC7/Holmenkol cream.
Snow slow until 45 km and we hit the open fields. The ground was probably warmer and the snow had firmed up more. Lots of work on the hills as the snow was churned into 2-3" of sugar snow. Not nearly as bad as a couple years ago, but much more effort needed than last year. Started feeling a bit tired as early as the fire tower.
Splits @ 5 km:
21.49
21.00
40.18 (10 km)
20.15
18.35
20.44
20.56
21.32
19.00
Time 8 min slower than last year, which arguably had perfect conditions and wax to match. Started at the back of wave 2 and got caught in a mob all the way thru the power lines. Had to hold back to keep from running over people as everyone jockeyed for position. Didn't open up until the Korteloppet crowd broke off at 9 km.
Snow slow until 45 km and we hit the open fields. The ground was probably warmer and the snow had firmed up more. Lots of work on the hills as the snow was churned into 2-3" of sugar snow. Not nearly as bad as a couple years ago, but much more effort needed than last year. Started feeling a bit tired as early as the fire tower.
Splits @ 5 km:
21.49
21.00
40.18 (10 km)
20.15
18.35
20.44
20.56
21.32
19.00
Time 8 min slower than last year, which arguably had perfect conditions and wax to match. Started at the back of wave 2 and got caught in a mob all the way thru the power lines. Had to hold back to keep from running over people as everyone jockeyed for position. Didn't open up until the Korteloppet crowd broke off at 9 km.
Friday Feb 20, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Telemark WI) 33:00 [1] 5.5 km (6:00 / km)
Around "Mount" Telemark on the Korteloppet trail. Surprisingly, a lot of sharp up and downs over the last 4 km of the course. Pretty challenging for the easier course. Took it very easy to loosen up for tomorrow.
Thursday Feb 19, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Birkie course) 45:00 [3] 10.2 km (4:25 / km)
On the course south of Mosquito Brook crossing. Went down past Bitch Hill to the 43 km mark. Did a repeat of the hill on the way back to let Ruthie catch up. Conditions excellent and fast.
Wednesday Feb 18, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:00:00 [3] 8.2 km (7:19 / km)
Just started snowing like crazy. Expect about 6" tonight; will be great for the trails. May have to leave early to get to the Birkie.
Thin cover of falling snow quieted down the frozen granular. Temp close to freezing and snow was very slow. Took it easy to loosen up. Couldn't see very well due to the snow.
Thin cover of falling snow quieted down the frozen granular. Temp close to freezing and snow was very slow. Took it easy to loosen up. Couldn't see very well due to the snow.
Monday Feb 16, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Prospect) 2:00:00 20.0 km (6:00 / km)
With Ruthie, Art and Gretchen. Perfect conditions, packed powder over a solid base. Williams gave (lent?) them a new Piston Bully this year and all the trails were well groomed. Several trails were groomed that I have never seen packed before. They're obviously playing with their new toy.
First hour skied by myself. Then after lunch I toured with the rest of the crew on some of the back trails, doing sprints up the hills and then waiting/recovering while the others caught up. Good interval workout before the Birkie. Nice speed work, but not very draining.
Thoroughly enjoyable snow conditions and clear sunny weather.
First hour skied by myself. Then after lunch I toured with the rest of the crew on some of the back trails, doing sprints up the hills and then waiting/recovering while the others caught up. Good interval workout before the Birkie. Nice speed work, but not very draining.
Thoroughly enjoyable snow conditions and clear sunny weather.
Sunday Feb 15, 2009 #
Hiking (Dorset Quarry) 1:00:00 [2] 2.0 mi (30:00 / mi)
Hiked up above East Dorset to an old marble quarry cut into the hillside. The quarry is more of a huge open face cave, now flooded and frozen. Some people were ice skating in the cave and kids were even playing hockey for a while. The ice was very clear and in one place you could see air bubbles at least 3 feet down in the ice.
Beautiful clear winter day.
Beautiful clear winter day.
Saturday Feb 14, 2009 #
Hiking (Haystack) 2:00:00 [2] 4.5 mi (26:40 / mi)
Snowshoe up along ridge with Art and Gretchen to top of Haystack. Clear day, great views.
Hiking (Hogback) 40:00 [2] 1.0 mi (40:01 / mi)
To top of another abandoned ski area I grew up using, Hogback. From rte 9 up to summit. More views from fire tower.
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 40:00 [3] 8.1 km (4:56 / km)
One pass with the groomer and then skied the field loops as it got dark. Pretty solid snow cover, needs more vigorous tilling.
Friday Feb 13, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 59:00 [2] 10.7 km (5:31 / km)
Groomed for an hour and ground up some of the frozen surface into granular cover. Still rough, takes at least 4 passes before it starts loosening up. Might want to rig a power tiller for next year.
Few laps around the fields and Pines. Faster the the past couple days, but bumpy from the rough surface.
Few laps around the fields and Pines. Faster the the past couple days, but bumpy from the rough surface.
Thursday Feb 12, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:10:00 [2] 8.2 km (8:32 / km)
Still warm, mid 30's. Some rain last night, but didn't cut into the snow pack very much. Trails ok where well packed, secondary trails soft. Everything was pretty slow and a lot of work.
Wednesday Feb 11, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:04:00 [3] 11.2 km (5:43 / km)
Warming trend today; temp up to mid 30's. Surface softened so skiing was okay but slow. Did a half dozen pickups on the hill in the south field.
Tuesday Feb 10, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 57:00 [3] 11.3 km (5:03 / km)
Still well below freezing all day, so ground up the crust a bit more. Ended up with mostly chunky frozen granular.
Bunch of laps in the fields. One over into the Pines, but had only done one pass there so it was still rough.
Bunch of laps in the fields. One over into the Pines, but had only done one pass there so it was still rough.
Monday Feb 9, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 21:00 [2] 3.5 km (6:00 / km)
Yesterdays slush froze up into concrete. Hit it a couple times with the Bombi, but not enough to pulverize the chunks. Broke it enough to ski a few laps, and then had to take off for a meeting. Expecting a thaw the next couple days, maybe some rain, so no sense beating it up too much now.
Sunday Feb 8, 2009 #
Event: CSU Ski-O Sprints
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 57:00 [3] 6.8 km (8:23 / km)
Warmup and wandering around the trails after grooming this afternoon. Set a track for Ruthie and pretty well trashed the skate lanes. Will harden to a rock tonight and then can attack it with the groomer teeth tomorrow.
Skate Ski (Ski-O Sprint) 32:57 [4] 3.9 km (8:27 / km)
Two minutes slower than yesterday. In defense, everything was slop by the time I gave it a run today.
Woke up this morning at 6:00 to howling wind. Looked at the thermometer to find it was 44F. Hasn't been above freezing for weeks! Warm wind really sucked at the snowpack and wrecked havoc on the trails. Went out early and compacted the mush with the snowmobile. The snow had not been thru any freeze-thaw cycles, so had no strength when it warmed up.
Ended up okay where I repacked it, but the really narrow 1 m trails were very soft. Also lots of sticks and branches came down overnight. What a mess.
Had the hard core ski-o-ers in attendance: Larry and Sara Mae, Adrian, Aims, Ernst and Jim Arsenault. Adrian captured the win at 24 min and Sara Mae took the honors for the women. Aims, Ernst and then Jim bunched at about 31 min.
Good test for the venue. Used a map exchange. Think everyone enjoyed the complex trail network and nav, and were sufficiently challenged by the sections of 4' wide Euro trail.
Woke up this morning at 6:00 to howling wind. Looked at the thermometer to find it was 44F. Hasn't been above freezing for weeks! Warm wind really sucked at the snowpack and wrecked havoc on the trails. Went out early and compacted the mush with the snowmobile. The snow had not been thru any freeze-thaw cycles, so had no strength when it warmed up.
Ended up okay where I repacked it, but the really narrow 1 m trails were very soft. Also lots of sticks and branches came down overnight. What a mess.
Had the hard core ski-o-ers in attendance: Larry and Sara Mae, Adrian, Aims, Ernst and Jim Arsenault. Adrian captured the win at 24 min and Sara Mae took the honors for the women. Aims, Ernst and then Jim bunched at about 31 min.
Good test for the venue. Used a map exchange. Think everyone enjoyed the complex trail network and nav, and were sufficiently challenged by the sections of 4' wide Euro trail.
Saturday Feb 7, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:18:00 [3] 10.4 km (7:30 / km)
Groomed everything with the Tidd Tech, taking off the wings to make it 4' wide and towing with the snowmobile. A couple complications, but results are really nice, flatter and smoother than just using the tires.
Have all the controls out, so did the advanced course and then a few extra loops. Hard to log a lot of km when you're on 4' trails.
Have all the controls out, so did the advanced course and then a few extra loops. Hard to log a lot of km when you're on 4' trails.
Friday Feb 6, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:03:00 [3] 11.3 km (5:35 / km)
Warmer today -- in the teens. Groomed all the narrow trails and set half the controls for Sunday.
Skied all the trails. Practicing L1 on the narrow ones along with double poling.
Skied all the trails. Practicing L1 on the narrow ones along with double poling.
Thursday Feb 5, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 1:15:00 [3] 10.4 km (7:13 / km)
Still cold -- single digits. Snow set hard from yesterday. Around the trails, slower than usual since many are set narrow at 4'. Then regroomed everything to smooth surface.
Wednesday Feb 4, 2009 #
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley Trails) 53:00 [3] 9.0 km (5:53 / km)
Bunch of new snow since the last grooming a couple weeks ago. Did mom's main figure 8 with the full groomer and Bombi. Did the Pines 6' wide and all the inside loops and side trails 4' with the snowmobile and tires to set up narrow trails for ski-o this weekend. Needs another pass tomorrow, but snow firmed up nicely.
Gave it a couple hours and then skied some laps. Despite having Sunday's HF7 for temps much warmer (it was about 10F), the snow was slick and fast. Very surprising and enjoyable. 4' trails are a blast -- L1 and double poling!
Much snow piled under the Wall. May give it a pass with the snowmobile tomorrow.
Gave it a couple hours and then skied some laps. Despite having Sunday's HF7 for temps much warmer (it was about 10F), the snow was slick and fast. Very surprising and enjoyable. 4' trails are a blast -- L1 and double poling!
Much snow piled under the Wall. May give it a pass with the snowmobile tomorrow.
Monday Feb 2, 2009 #
Road Running 19:00 [3] 2.0 mi (9:30 / mi)
Run near the airport hotel while waiting for my flight.
Sunday Feb 1, 2009 #
Skate Ski warm up/down 50:00 [3] 5.0 km (10:00 / km)
Warm up; control pickup.
Skate Ski race (Auburn Ski Club) 59:30 [4] 11.4 km (5:13 / km)
3 lap motala around Auburn. Clean run, results pretty good and close to the pack.
Felt I finally got my wind after a week at altitude. Was tired on the hills from using my quads and no longer doubled over from lack of oxygen. Would like to use the conditioning at Lake Placid next Saturday, but I've got a ski-o at the house on Sunday, so need to prepare the trails for that.
Felt I finally got my wind after a week at altitude. Was tired on the hills from using my quads and no longer doubled over from lack of oxygen. Would like to use the conditioning at Lake Placid next Saturday, but I've got a ski-o at the house on Sunday, so need to prepare the trails for that.