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| Photo Credit skinnyski.com |
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| Photo Credit skinnyski.com |
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| Photo Courtesy of James Thomas McKinney |
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| Photo Credit skinnyski.com |
The night before a Nordic ski race is pretty much the same now as it was 20 years ago, I wax my skis, I eat some complex carbohydrates, I try to fall asleep and then I wind up reading for a few hours. Last week, I skied in the Classic 21 Kilometer event at the William O' Brien / Marine on St. Croix Cross Country Ski Race. Classic skiing is different from Skate skiing and also different from Touring - a narrow ski with flexible tips and a modest camber is necessary for riding in the groomed tracks - glide wax is ironed into the ski and a layer or two of kick is then applied to a central location on the ski, "The Kick Zone", to ensure reliable and consistent kick. The kick or stride of classic skiing is what generates forward motion. In skate skiing, only glide wax is used, the skier rides a flat ski until employing the edge of the ski, similar to a hockey skate, to gain propulsion. Touring is a more relaxed and recreational means of skiing, wherein a waxless ski with a fabricated Kick Zone guarantees reliable and consistent kick.
After waxing my skis and getting a good nights sleep, my sister Cate and I made it to the race and had a great day among the people and trails of the event - my first time skiing this race, I was all of twelve years old, and got lost on the William O 'Brien trail system. My time was over half an hour behind the winner - circa 1986. I never fail to feel a sense of belonging, (I may go so far as to say a profound sense of equanimity) when skiing or running on this trail system; Mountain biking on these trails has never been endorsed by the Park. As a kid, as a high school skier, as an Assistant coach, as a racer, the solitary gratitude I feel during my time there seems as reliable and consistent as the unpredictability of the snow cover.
My time this year was in the top five, 1:09 and change. I included a number of photos from 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, including action shots from skinnyski.com Enjoy.
Thanks to Everett Meyer and Fruitshare and all of the sponsors for a great event, and happy retirement to Randy Lorenzen...though as a Nordic coach recently told me, "Nobody retires."
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