Training Log Archive: kensr

Zeroing. Somewhat erratic.

New York champs. Gusty day, knocking the shots around. Ended up with lots of misses and penalty laps. Probably cost me close to 10 min: 3/3/3/4.

Snow was pretty good with just one 15' stretch of ice in a wet spot. Some sections silky smooth. Temps around freezing. I had Star med powder melted on over Toko blue for low 20's, and it was okay.

Miss-hit the stop button on the watch after 2nd prone, so lost much track and time information.
First laps 7.07 / 6.50 plus 2.10 penalty / 1.10, 1.07 prone shootings

Fresh 8" from yesterday. Rolled and groomed. Still soft and punchy this morning since it came down very dry and fluffy. So pretty slow. A little wet ice in the far field, but everything else is okay if the new snow will stick to the places with water ice underneath.
Still pretty tired from Wednesday.

Attention to hamstrings and glutes.
8-9" nice snow today, about 20F. Trails back in business.

Open Track Birkie. First the good: self start any time between 8 and 9. Entries limited to 1,000 total including Korte and Prince Hakan 12km. Meant start building was empty, as in 15-20 people when I was there. Trail also, times when I could see no one ahead or behind. Relaxed at the aid stations. Got times, but no competitive results, so everyone just cruising along, right? No, put on a bib and it’s always race mode. Plowed off yesterday’s 6” and set corduroy that was still there along the edges right to the end in many places.

Issues: not their fault, but weather was harsh yesterday with sharp fresh snow and crystal clear overnight dropping under zero. Snow surface was like sandpaper. Had my hardest wax, CH4, and had no glide. Miserable for the first 11 km. Everyone was single sticking even the small hills and that chopped up the climbs. Knew I was in deep when the first klick took 8 min. After the aid station at 11 km I think the exposure changed a little more southerly and suddenly the deck was okay. But got to OO just as the staggered start of the Korte kicked off and that was a zoo. Now classic was combined with a track on both sides of the skate lane, but that left only 1-1/2 to 2 skate lanes. Suddenly lots of people congested. Finally settled down after another 6 km. At that point I stopped (first time ever) and took a pee break and food at the aid station. About 8 min there, but who’s counting? Then ground it in to the Lake and finish.

Conclusion: great way to go to avoid the mob. Would have been way ahead of the Korte crowd if I held a normal pace. Got to find a fast fluoro free super cold wax, or wait for warmer weather.

C • Wow and your still skiing Sat 10

GPS track

Walked around town. Snow blowing hard in a raw wind, low teens. Forecast 5” new snow, subzero tonight, maybe up to 10F by noon. Doing the Open Track 50 km tomorrow. Will be wicked cold. Thought about waxes and ended up with straight CH4 super hard wax, no top coats. Talked to the wax guy at New Moon and he said I wouldn’t be far off. We’ll see.

Travel day thru MSP.