Training Log Archive: kensrIn the 28 days ending Feb 28, 2017:
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Tuesday Feb 28, 2017 #
Note
End of Feb, snow pack 10". Better than last year (1"), but not 2015 (24").
12 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 38:53 [2] 3.32 km (11:42 / km) +104m 10:07 / km
Groomed, but warm and mushy. Loop around the trails.
Monday Feb 27, 2017 #
1 PM
Note
Back in VT to 50F, but still 10" snow cover. Tapped the maples and sap is gushing out. With maple water the latest thing, this will save a lot of boiling time.
3 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 1:17:42 [2] 4.76 km (16:20 / km) +141m 14:14 / km
Checking out the trails. Full snow cover. Temp in the 50's so didn't groom. Surface transformed for spring skiing. Could use smoothing out. Picked up lots of sticks and hemlock sprigs up on top.
Already have 2 gal of sap in the jugs.
Already have 2 gal of sap in the jugs.
Sunday Feb 26, 2017 #
1 PM
Skate Ski (Eau Claire) 1:09:16 [3] 11.83 km (5:51 / km) +41m 5:45 / km
Out of Hayward and south to the snow belt. Actually had a pretty good deposit in Eau Claire. Skied at Tower Ridge east of town. Simple, flat trail network, mostly groomed. Good chance to loosen up from yesterday's long ski.
Saturday Feb 25, 2017 #
11 AM
Skate Ski long (Birkie ) 3:12:25 [3] 34.18 km (5:38 / km) +369m 5:20 / km
Out to the Birkie start for laps around their specially created 5 km course of piled up trucked in snow. Except they missed a few spots and the 10,000 or so Birkie skiers quickly scraped it off in places.
So Greg and I did 1-1/2 laps and then hopped off thru the woods to some other north end trails. Twice down to the Timber Trail food station by different routes and then in for lunch.
Another venture after lunch on even more dodgy trails. But all fine compared to Finnish SkiO standards. Solidly kissed one rock and am reluctant to look at the ski bottom.
So Greg and I did 1-1/2 laps and then hopped off thru the woods to some other north end trails. Twice down to the Timber Trail food station by different routes and then in for lunch.
Another venture after lunch on even more dodgy trails. But all fine compared to Finnish SkiO standards. Solidly kissed one rock and am reluctant to look at the ski bottom.
Friday Feb 24, 2017 #
11 AM
Road Running (Hayward WI) 59:12 [3] 5.16 mi (11:28 / mi)
Again around Lake Hayward. Cold and windy with blowing flurries. Okay once I had the wind at my back on the way home.
Certainly no race tomorrow and maybe no skiing either. Yesterday was soft and okay, but now it's frozen and icy. Looks like the storm skimmed by literally a couple miles to the east; dumped up to 8-10" not far away.
Certainly no race tomorrow and maybe no skiing either. Yesterday was soft and okay, but now it's frozen and icy. Looks like the storm skimmed by literally a couple miles to the east; dumped up to 8-10" not far away.
3 PM
Skate Ski (Birkie trail) 1:37:01 [3] 13.75 km (7:03 / km) +156m 6:41 / km
Skiing North End trails with Greg. Secondary trails were okay, but big ones were boilerplate with less than an inch of today's snow on top. South facing pitches had basically nothing under the dusting. Can't see how they would have gotten 3 or 4" to stay in place if that had come down. Maybe 8-10" would have done it.
Our skiing was fun, but we were picking our way along in many places. Tomorrow they promise a 5 km loop up around the start area. Will try that a couple times.
Our skiing was fun, but we were picking our way along in many places. Tomorrow they promise a 5 km loop up around the start area. Will try that a couple times.
Thursday Feb 23, 2017 #
11 AM
Skate Ski (Hayward ) 1:15:00 [3] 12.49 km (6:00 / km) +173m 5:37 / km
Birkie trail south of OO. Dodging slushy low spots and bare ground. Ok except for venture down side trail and into 4" ice slush water. Wet feet.
Ran into Pepa at OO out with juniors from Craftsbury.
Ski Saturday? We'll see.
Ran into Pepa at OO out with juniors from Craftsbury.
Ski Saturday? We'll see.
Wednesday Feb 22, 2017 #
3 PM
Road Running (Hayward WI) 1:01:40 [3] 5.5 mi (11:13 / mi) +12m 11:08 / mi
Didn't look like skiing would work today, so did a run around Lake Hayward with Ruthie. Greg did it, too, but left earlier and took some short cuts. At least I'm getting a start on the running season.
Tuesday Feb 21, 2017 #
Road Running (Hayward WI) 29:11 [1] 2.25 mi (12:58 / mi)
This sucks! No snow whatsoever. Temp in the 50's. Out for a run with Greg and Ruthie. Maybe snow late in the week, too late for any good.
C • Ugh 6
Monday Feb 20, 2017 #
10 AM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 53:06 [3] 10.07 km (5:17 / km) +76m 5:05 / km
ahr:117 max:148
Down to 28F last night. Base froze and scuffed the top this morning. Best skiing since last week's storm. Next skiing will be in Hayward in rain and mud.
Sunday Feb 19, 2017 #
1 PM
Road Running 1:06:01 [3] 5.13 mi (12:52 / mi) +90m 12:12 / mi
ahr:127 max:166
Snow too soft for skiing today -- around 50 and bright sun. Just like Tahoe without the rain. Hasn't set up so deck was mushy when I groomed it this morning. Left it alone and went for my February run instead. Very balmy.
C • MM 2
Saturday Feb 18, 2017 #
Event: EMPO Pineridge XC ski-o
10 AM
Skate Ski race (Pine Ridge, NY) 2:36:55 [3] 14.55 km (10:47 / km) +223m 10:01 / km
SkiO at Pine Ridge! Conditions warmer than expected and bright sun made it warm further fast to high 40's/ 50's. Snow not transformed, so just became soft and mushy and unsuitable for my colder wax.
Did red course skating. Rough and lumpy grooming made that frustrating and heavy double pole arm work. Some trails to the north controls had not been packed. Bad news when you can classic kick on skate skis with pure flouro on them. Did a bunch of bushwacking to cut distance across the curvey ungroomed trail loops.
Not sure I got all the controls, one was 105 and found 205 in the expected spot. So when 2-1/2 hours rolled past I thought about the two marathons I have next weekend and decided to bail. Turns out I DSQ'd as well as DNF'd because there really was a 105 nearby.
Phil H-T laid out a good course, but conditions changed drastically in the week since he set the controls. Ended up with snow much slower than you'd expect, and some unpacked trails to boot.
As always a good mental as well as physical challenge.
Did red course skating. Rough and lumpy grooming made that frustrating and heavy double pole arm work. Some trails to the north controls had not been packed. Bad news when you can classic kick on skate skis with pure flouro on them. Did a bunch of bushwacking to cut distance across the curvey ungroomed trail loops.
Not sure I got all the controls, one was 105 and found 205 in the expected spot. So when 2-1/2 hours rolled past I thought about the two marathons I have next weekend and decided to bail. Turns out I DSQ'd as well as DNF'd because there really was a 105 nearby.
Phil H-T laid out a good course, but conditions changed drastically in the week since he set the controls. Ended up with snow much slower than you'd expect, and some unpacked trails to boot.
As always a good mental as well as physical challenge.
Friday Feb 17, 2017 #
2 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 1:14:59 [3] 10.38 km (7:14 / km) +142m 6:46 / km
Yesterday's trails firmed up solid for skating. Today's grooming on some upper trails and the Glade was too soft to ski without punching thru. Almost all field stakes have snow up to the 2' marker line. Some are about to be buried and disappear. Bring it on!
Thursday Feb 16, 2017 #
10 AM
Note
Spent the morning tending with Casey after a tough night. She was very distressed from lack of movement in her legs. Vet found no nerve signals from the bottom part of the spine. Has been progressing over time, but rapid deterioration in the last couple days. Probably from a tumor. In any case, a tough decision made today and now she's gone from the family. A very sweet and loving companion will be greatly missed.
2 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 1:02:30 [3] 8.03 km (7:47 / km) +129m 7:12 / km
Groomed the snow that accumulated late yesterday. Main tracks are firmed up and worked okay for skating. Widening and adding more each day. Still have to get up on top and in the Glade.
Wednesday Feb 15, 2017 #
4 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 32:43 [1] 2.65 km (12:22 / km) +34m 11:37 / km
Another 5" today. Regroomed with big machine, but it's all pretty soft. Short classic skiing, not feeling particularly upbeat at the moment.
Dog issues. Casey has been struggling with her hips as she approaches 13 years. Back legs gave out entirely this morning. Not a good outlook.
Dog issues. Casey has been struggling with her hips as she approaches 13 years. Back legs gave out entirely this morning. Not a good outlook.
Tuesday Feb 14, 2017 #
3 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 54:36 [2] 6.21 km (8:47 / km) +55m 8:25 / km
Classic on soft newly groomed snow. Picked up 18" while I was gone, total base is now 26". Slow but fun.
Sunday Feb 12, 2017 #
3 AM
Skate Ski race (Imatra ) 34:33 [5] 5.33 km (6:29 / km) +41m 6:15 / km
World Masters Middle 2. Back into the golf course area.
Snow sketchy in places. Went over log in one place at speed and ski stopped short, ending in a face plant.
Started badly with a turn down the wrong trail after the start triangle. Two hundred meters down the hill towards the lake. Had to reverse and chug back up around OOB between me and my target.
Pretty open skiing along the golf course. Came down into a T just as some guy trundled past; had to do a crash stop to keep from flattening him.
Final climb to the stadium was very steep hillside. Everyone around took off skis and ran up.
Challenging and fun navigation for the week. Results dominated by Finn masters, who really race well and probably have been on this terrain many times given all the previous maps circulating.
Of course, would have been kinder to everyone's skis and technique with another foot of snow on the ground.
Snow sketchy in places. Went over log in one place at speed and ski stopped short, ending in a face plant.
Started badly with a turn down the wrong trail after the start triangle. Two hundred meters down the hill towards the lake. Had to reverse and chug back up around OOB between me and my target.
Pretty open skiing along the golf course. Came down into a T just as some guy trundled past; had to do a crash stop to keep from flattening him.
Final climb to the stadium was very steep hillside. Everyone around took off skis and ran up.
Challenging and fun navigation for the week. Results dominated by Finn masters, who really race well and probably have been on this terrain many times given all the previous maps circulating.
Of course, would have been kinder to everyone's skis and technique with another foot of snow on the ground.
9 AM
Skate Ski warm up/down 35:00 [2] 4.3 km (8:08 / km)
Saturday Feb 11, 2017 #
Skate Ski warm up/down 10:00 [1] 1.0 km (10:00 / km)
2 PM
Skate Ski race (Imatra ) 46:24 [4] 7.5 km (6:11 / km)
World Masters Middle 1. Much better terrain and conditions. Normal thin spots and dragging on the ski bottoms. Spent time navigating instead of avoiding trees on icy narrow plummets.
Had fun, but several mistakes. Bad turn and wrong route to #2, about 2 minutes lost. Then looped around outside of #4 and had to relocate from main trail, probably 5 minutes on that. Rest had normal amount of floundering.
Had fun, but several mistakes. Bad turn and wrong route to #2, about 2 minutes lost. Then looped around outside of #4 and had to relocate from main trail, probably 5 minutes on that. Rest had normal amount of floundering.
Friday Feb 10, 2017 #
12 PM
Skate Ski (Imatra ) 47:00 [3] 11.24 km (4:11 / km)
Twice around the island on the lake and over to the next resort. All V2 alt. Nice, no hills or rocks.
Thursday Feb 9, 2017 #
12 PM
Skate Ski warm up/down 10:00 [1] 1.0 km (10:00 / km)
1 PM
Skate Ski race (Imatra ) 1:30:13 [4] 11.43 km (7:54 / km) +89m 7:36 / km
SkiO Long. Dearth of snow in the woods. Lots of lumps and stumps in the narrow trails. Tore up the ski bottoms nicely. First 2 maps complicated and difficult with the poor conditions and everyone doing several to many laps thru the same area. Last map along the golf course woods pretty easy.
Stumbled on the first control. Navigated to the general area with some uncertainty and then couldn't spot the control. Bailed to a main trail and backtracked to the same spot, the control was deep in a big pit of doom and couldn't be spotted until you were on the edge.
Had no good route choice coming out of #3. Headed towards 5 with the intention of turning left up the hill to 4. Managed to forget that and continued right on to 5. So got a DSQ for all the hassle and trashing to the skis.
Nice area if it had another 12" of packed snow. That would have covered the stumps by 6".
Stumbled on the first control. Navigated to the general area with some uncertainty and then couldn't spot the control. Bailed to a main trail and backtracked to the same spot, the control was deep in a big pit of doom and couldn't be spotted until you were on the edge.
Had no good route choice coming out of #3. Headed towards 5 with the intention of turning left up the hill to 4. Managed to forget that and continued right on to 5. So got a DSQ for all the hassle and trashing to the skis.
Nice area if it had another 12" of packed snow. That would have covered the stumps by 6".
Wednesday Feb 8, 2017 #
3 PM
Skate Ski (Imatra ) 47:00 [3] 7.76 km (6:03 / km)
Watched Stina and Adrian do the sprint relay.
Then twice around the island.
Hit the grocery store this morning and picked up Rex klister and some start kick wax (all cheap).
Then twice around the island.
Hit the grocery store this morning and picked up Rex klister and some start kick wax (all cheap).
Tuesday Feb 7, 2017 #
3 PM
Skate Ski (Imatra) 1:07:00 [3] 9.65 km (6:57 / km)
After watching Ed, Adrian and Stina in the sprints.
Lap around the island off the hotel on its trail, then another around on the lake. A little more on yesterday's model trails.
Temp now high teens instead of subzero so all is well.
Lap around the island off the hotel on its trail, then another around on the lake. A little more on yesterday's model trails.
Temp now high teens instead of subzero so all is well.
Monday Feb 6, 2017 #
Skate Ski (Imatra, Finland ) 48:00 [3] 6.3 km (7:37 / km)
Good flight over on empty Finnair flight. Then a 3 hr drive east to Russian border and venue.
Out for a short ski with Greg around model area. Trails okay, but cover thin. Likely see new scratches this week.
Out for a short ski with Greg around model area. Trails okay, but cover thin. Likely see new scratches this week.
Saturday Feb 4, 2017 #
12 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 1:02:24 [2] 7.21 km (8:39 / km) +108m 8:03 / km
Warm up and then SkiO around the lower trails. Had groomed surface lightly, but it was frozen and rough.
Friday Feb 3, 2017 #
12 PM
Skate Ski (Strafford XC) 2:18:30 [2] 13.09 km (10:35 / km) +357m 9:19 / km
Around the trails with Ruthie. Open fields were windblown, but those thru the woods were well groomed and nice. Enjoyed the Outer Loop and views from 1950.
Thursday Feb 2, 2017 #
2 PM
Skate Ski (Grafton Ponds) 1:00:00 [3] 8.92 km (6:44 / km) +225m 5:58 / km
Trails well groomed and in good shape. Around freezing, but felt much colder and neither purple 7 nor red 8 worked, dragged. Could have tried blue 6 for fresh snow.
Met up with Jud Hartman right away and skied up over the top. Met a group of ladies struggling on the downhill and Jud very nicely stopped and gave them a short lesson on technique. Encountered them later on the lap and stopped again. Started to get chilled in fingers and toes from standing around.
Came down and he went in, I planned on some quick short laps to warm up. Immediately met up with Tom Davidson and more casual skiing and talking resulted.
Finally was really chilled and called it quits. Still, good skiing.
Met up with Jud Hartman right away and skied up over the top. Met a group of ladies struggling on the downhill and Jud very nicely stopped and gave them a short lesson on technique. Encountered them later on the lap and stopped again. Started to get chilled in fingers and toes from standing around.
Came down and he went in, I planned on some quick short laps to warm up. Immediately met up with Tom Davidson and more casual skiing and talking resulted.
Finally was really chilled and called it quits. Still, good skiing.
Wednesday Feb 1, 2017 #
5 PM
Skate Ski (Kingdom Valley) 36:33 [3] 6.3 km (5:48 / km) +57m 5:33 / km
1" new snow on top of frozen groomed chunks. Nice surface.
Relaxed night ski.
Relaxed night ski.