Good Snow = Better Skiing = Better Skier

January has been a tough month for cross-country ski training. After a New Year's thaw we were left with only a bit of snow, and any snow that could be found was at least an hour's drive away. But last week the weather finally began to cooperate a bit.

Throughout the week we had several Alberta Clippers come through. Then on Martin Luther King Day we finally got ourselves a nice little front-dropping about five inches on the Madison area throughout the day. All total we saw about nine inches for the week. Not a ton, but at least enough to reopen the Madison area trails. So last night after work I grabbed the skies and hopped over to Elver Park.

It felt really good to be back in the woods. Back on good snow. Over the past couple of weeks I skied at Lapham Peak over near Milwaukee-a short loop covered with man-made snow. I also made it to Blue Mounds State Park-beautiful trails, although a bit bare and icy in places, and then I spent a couple of days over at Mirror Lake State Park-the best snow in the area. But even the best snow in the area left me feeling anxious about my ability to train effectively. Last night however lifted my spirits once again.

Skiing on bad snow seemed to challenge my skiing abilities. I tired easily, wasn't able to hold a flat ski very long, and always had to worry about scratching the bottoms of my skis. It seemed as though I never got comfortable, and once again began doubting my abilities to ski 50km. Last night however the snow was fantastic. Its freshness allowed for some strong skating. My strides were long and confident, and I actually felt like my skis were working with me. I was able to hold my striding techniques for long periods of time. The uphills held plenty of snow, and the new found base allowed from some good climbing, and then the downhill stretches were an absolute riot-fast and smooth. And most importantly, I felt like I could ski again. In fact I felt as though the two and half weeks of skiing on lousy snow actually helped me as a skier.

Over the next couple of days we are expecting some very cold weather, temperatures going below zero at night and only reaching single digits during the days. But what I am learning is that cold weather after a good snow makes for some fast trails. Just in time for some serious training. And so with 38 days to go before the Birkie we will likely have some strong snow for the duration.