|
|
SkiPost
|
Volume 17 Issue 41: Feb 11, 2016
|
|
|
|
Ask us, We Answer
Do you have a Nordic training, technique, equipment, travel, or event question? Just email us at weanswer@skipost.com |
|
Roof Rack Ski Bag Carrier?
Hello, I like to carry my Nordic skis in bags, one for me and one for my wife. When we travel with our 09 Subaru I just strap them on the top rack and they flop around up there until I finally get them to lie still. Do you know of an attachment that would allow me to securely lock down these bags? I don't like the idea of a full blown top box since we only use the top rack when we travel a distance to ski. I googled this a little but didn't come up with anything that I liked. Call me old fashioned but I really like the bags but not the box. Perhaps there is a more streamlined version of the Box? I love your Q&A!
I will ask our audience if they know of any ski bag or ski bag accessory that they know that attached easily to a roof rack without straps slapping around? Send suggestions to weanswer@skipost.com
|
|
Socks?
Do you have any sock suggestions? There seem to be so many brands but none are perfect. Most that are warm are either too bulky or too tall for my skate boots.
Froze Toes
Yes,
My new favorite is Point 6 socks. I discovered their all new Nordic socks at the Outdoor Retailer show this fall. They reinvented a Nordic sock from the toe up.
They are the perfect size for skate boots, not too tall, not too short. They come in the various thicknesses, not too thin and not too thick. They have models with extra padding around the ankles bones for skate boots They are made with Merino wool for warmth and durability and are made in America, and based in Ski Town USA, Steamboat Springs, Colorado. (Yes, they are now an advertiser on SkiPost, but this is because I love the socks.)
Andy at SkiPost
|
|
Lights
What suggestions do you have for a light for night skiing. I have a great bike light but no way to mount it for night skiing use. The others (strapped flashlight type) I've use simply don't provide a lot of illumination.
Thanks...Dan
I have used various good battery powered headlamps and most have served me fine for night skiing. But a different approach is the Lumen by UltraSpire. Rather than a headlamp is a waist lamp and broadcasts the light from lower down for less eye strain and better ability to pick up trail variations.
Andy at SkiPost
|
|
Brain and Caitlin Gregg
On Final Birkie prep
what to do
what not to do
|
|
Bliz Rush?
What is the Bliz Rush for? I just saw a Bliz Rush at a shop but noticed it doe snot flip up? What's up with the Rush?
The Bliz Rush (AKA no-flip) takes many of the best features of the famous ProFlip like the large lens that protects your face and fog free ventilation and offers it at $79.00. Many people realize that they never need actually need to flip their glasses up and just want great visibility and protection, so the Rush perfect and at a great price. The Rush is the Bliz that Caitlin Gregg won her Bronze medal at World Championship wearing.
|
|
Start Wax Recs?
the bigger events for the weekend are:
Andy at SkiPost/Start
|
|
Birkie
Early Wax Rec
Start Purple Gliders
Oslo Kickers
Start will once again be at the Birkie Expo.
You can get your wax from us at the Expo or at your local shop before hand.
At this time it appears that the Birkie temps and conditions will be ideal this year. Early morning temps in the low teens perhaps single digits and temps rising fast to the high 20's. It should be a fast track.
We are suggesting Start Purple #6 Gliders - Start Purple temp range is (28°...19°F) is harder than many other Purple gliders so it will still run fast in the cold north facing first half and then provide all the lubrication in the 2nd half. The more Fluor you get in your Start Purple( ie, MF,HF or best yet FHF) the faster you will be on this day as there will be moisture and dirt to manage all day.
Top coats will likely be FHF 7 Purple with FHF 1 underneath for World Cup speed. for National class speed SFR99 Block or SF30 powder will be very good.
Oslo Blue and Purple kickers we can reliably say will provide the kick all day long get yours now before the shops run out.
We will see all of you Birkie Participants there.
|
Dynamic Warm-up
Videos
In November we featured details on the US Ski Team's Dynamic Warmups.
Now USST/USSA has provided us videos for these warm-ups.
Why Dynamic Warm up was as created for the team.
First of all the purpose of a dynamic warm up is to continue to prepare the muscles and tissues of the body for the activities needed. It is to be done after an easy aerobic warm up and it serves to work more on sports specific movements, body preparedness, mobility, and for preparation of higher intensity exercise. Typically the team will do higher intensity skiing after they finish with the dynamic warm up as part of the entire warm up preparation.
The dynamic warm up is built to continue to increase core temperature, increase blood flow to the muscles, enhance movement patterns and coordination. I like to build in multi-planar movements that incorporate many ranges of motion and are as full body as possible. It is also intended to help reduce injury and improve performance.
The needs I looked at when developing this was: Thoracic spine mobilization, lumbo-pelvic stabilization, tight hip flexors, increase range of hip extensors. I also tried to keep it to minimal equipment needs so it could be done on course if needed, and to avoid exercises lying on the ground (snow).
They start with:
Four way jumping jack - hitting all planes of movement
Alternating punches with and without a hip opening step - T-spine/chest opening
Stick diagonals using a ski pole (squat and press in 3 directions each arm) - T-spine/chest/shoulder ROM
3 direction Lunge and front raise (using ski pole) - Hip ROM, shoulder/lat stretch
Lunge and press behind neck (using ski pole) - same purpose as above
Rise and shine push up - Continued arm/chest/back warm up. Lumbo-pelvic stabilization
Push up stabilization with 3 way hip ROM - same purpose as above but added Hip ROM in multiple planes
Turtle rotations - Internal/External rotation of the shoulder joint. Lumbo-pelvic stabilization
Stationary or moving A-skip series - more dynamic rhythm and Hip ROM.
This is the basic series of exercises that takes about 5 min to complete. Athletes then have additional exercises to address more specific individual needs if they want. Some do extra work for low back, Achilles, hamstring tightness, etc.
Hope this helps. Thanks Tschana
Tschana Schiller
Senior Physiologist
High Performance Department
USSA USST
|
Slow skis after 5 km
Hi, I live in Utah and skate ski daily. My routine is that I wax after around 3-4 hours of use. It always seems that after I wax, the first five minutes on the track are faster than the rest of the hour or so I ski. I wax in a 50 degree garage, put the skis on top of the car and drive. 5 minutes to the track. Is the cold snow pulling more wax out of the base thus necessitating more scraping or am I crazy after 37 years of doing this? (or both?) Thanks B
A good wax job can last 100km so something is interfering with you skis wax retention. If you are waxing with extreme hard waxes and waxing in a 50F cold garage the bases are not as open as they could be having waxes in 70F room. So try waxing in a warmer room and seeing of this helps.
If this does not help,the most likely reason they are getting slower so fast is if the based are "sealed" the wax jobs you are applying are not penetrating the base but just rather staying on top. Then after a few km your surface wax is gone and all you have left is a dry base. I would suggesting have a base expert look at the ski and if they are sealed then you will need a stonegrind to expose fresh base.
Andy at SkiPost/Start
|
|
Concept2 is excited to be back as a sponsor of the 2016 Slumberland American Birkebeiner®-and pleased to be able to offer Birkie skiers, and all members of a regional ski association, a discount of $50 on the purchase of an effective Birkie training tool: the second generation Concept2 SkiErg.
The SkiErg is a convenient and effective addition to your training, especially if you have ever been faced with any of the following challenges:
- There is little or no snow
- Safe roller skiing roads are too far away
- Daylight is fading and it's unsafe to be on the roads
- You are recovering from injury
- You want an accurate way to measure you training progress
- You are under a time crunch and need a fast, effective workout, in the convenience of your home or club
The SkiErg can be mounted directly to a wall if floor space is at a minimum, or you can order it with the optional floor stand. The floor stand supports the SkiErg if wall mounting is not an option and makes the SkiErg free standing and mobile-use it anywhere!
For more specific ways to use the SkiErg in your training,
|
|
Durable Poles?
Thick Wall Construction.
I see you guys promoting Start Poles as light swing weight and durable. They are light, but how can they be durable when they are tiny at the basket?
Dubious Fred
Fred,
You point at just the Start innovation that makes them light weight and durable, their race geometry. Start's race series poles are 17 mm in diameter (wider than many) at the handle and has thin wall construction for stiffness and lightweight. Uniquely its diameter and wall thickness change gradually from handle to tip. Start race poles are 8mm at the tip (thinner than most) and has thick wall construction for light weight and extra durability. By having only 8mm at the basket Start can make the walls extra thick for the greatest impact resistance so the poles do not break when a ski hits the pole near its tip, yet are still extremely light.
Andy at SkiPost/Start
|
|
Start is the low swing weight and high durability
pole choice of CXC as they sweep the Noquemanon
|
|
This Bliz
Bliz for winter are now in stores.
Check out the This Bliz video from Bliz World Cup stars including Charlotte Kalla, Marcus Hellner, and Robin Bryntesson.
Andy at SkiPost/Bliz
|
Salomon Nordic
Sleeveless took a strong arm 5th place in Stockholm.
Lets all ski with
|
|
Supporting Tomorrow's Nordic Stars Today
National Nordic Foundation Allocates $154,280 to
|
 The Last King
Magnolia Pictures, in collaboration with the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, is pleased to announce the North American premiere of the extraordinary Norwegian feature film THE LAST KING. The event will mark the first time the film will be viewed publicly on North American soil. THE LAST KING is rooted in Norwegian history and tells the story of the very legacy upon which the American Birkebeiner ski marathon is based. In 1206, Norway was ravaged by civil war, and a boy, Prince Haakon Haakonsson, the illegitimate baby son of a Norwegian king, was guarded in secrecy. He was a boy that half the kingdom was out to kill and whom two brave Birkebeiner warriors, so called because of their birch bark leggings, vowed to protect with their very lives by skiing the infant prince over the Norwegian mountains to safety. THE LAST KING is the story of the escape which forever changed the history of Norway.
The film will premiere at the Park Center in Hayward, Wisconsin as part of the American Birkebeiner's week of Nordic festivities. The North American premiere will include three showings, Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 5:00pm and 8:00pm, and Sunday, February 21, 2016, at 12:00pm. Tickets will be sold in advance and exclusively at www.Birkie.com. Tickets are $20 apiece and are available here. Magnolia Pictures is graciously donating $5 from every ticket sold to the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation to further their mission of promoting healthy, active lifestyles for people of all ages
|
|
Mt Bachelor Nordic Center announces inaugural running of the Cascade Crest 50km Nordic Ski Marathon and Relay
Enjoy the splendor of the high Cascades while testing your limits at the 2016 Cascade Crest 50km Nordic Ski Marathon, 25km, 10km or 50km Relay, slated for Saturday, March 12, 2016 at the Mt Bachelor Nordic Center.
Routed along the trails of the Mt Bachelor Nordic Center and US Forest Service land in the shadow of Broken Top Mountain, this year's course will provide breathtaking views and a festive race venue!
Event Calendar:
Friday, March 11, 2016: 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Packet Pick Up, WebSkis Ski Shop Bend, Oregon
Saturday, March 12, 2016: 9:00 a.m. Start 10Km Skate/Classic
9:30 a.m. Start 50Km Skate
9:40 a.m. Start 25Km Skate
9:45 a.m. Start 4 X 12.5 Km (50Km) Skate Relay
8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Vendor Expo at Finish Area
All events at Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center
6:00 p.m. Awards Party, WebSkis Ski Shop 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend, Oregon
Sunday, March 13, 2016: 9:00 - 2:00 p.m. Cascade Crest On-Snow Demo Day Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center
|
|
2016 Great Bear Chase!
Registration is now open for the 36 th annual UP Health System Portage Great Bear Chase. The race will take place on Saturday, March 5th, 2016 at the beautiful Swedetown Trails in Calumet, Michigan. To register now, visit http://www.greatbearchase.com/registration/
|
About SkiPost
Cross-Country skiing's community lodge. Where knowledge and stories are shared. The goal of SkiPost is to make the sport of Cross-Country skiing easier and more enjoyable for all who choose to participate. If you have questions on Cross-Country Skiing email us weanswer@SkiPost.com and visit SkiPost.com
Enjoy Winter,
Andrew Gerlach
Director/Editor- SkiPost
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
