training – Page 18 – fourwhitefeet

My new love

Skate skiing is the most fun I have ever had on the snow!! I’ve cross-country skiied for 17 winters and never really “got” classical technique even with a couple lessons from a former World Champion and other good skiers. A few years ago Abi told me how much fun she was having skate skiing at Craftsbury. It looked like too much work and anyway, there are no groomed ski trails in Cuchara. This year was my chance. Teton Valley, ID, has a great volunteer groomed trail system and I made a commitment to skating when I bought skate skis, boots and poles on sale in December.

Craftsbury Outdoor Center For me skate skiing is a lot more natural than classical. Most of us roller skated as kids. Even if we didn’t, I think the bio-kinetic feedback of skate skiing makes it more intuitive. It is also better training for me. I’m having fun out there and speed builds on speed so I maintain a higher heart rate. It is also a better workout for Bonnie since she has to run to keep up.

I’ve been out on my skate skis about a dozen times and had the opportunity to take a skate ski clinic at Grand Targhee last Saturday. Only a few people signed up and I joined a small group for a great two hour lesson from Erica Linnell, Targhee Nordic Supervisor. I can already tell a big improvement in my speed and actually look forward to small uphills.

I’ll always enjoy snow shoeing on forest trails and downhill skiing and snowboarding for a change, but skating is where it’s at for me in the winter! If you haven’t ever skate skiied and get an opportunity I highly recommend giving it a try!

Mesa Falls

Jen and I took a beautiful 100 mile ride to Mesa Falls last week. It was the best road ride I’ve been on since I moved from the east coast. Beautiful scenery and good pavement with almost no traffic.

Lisa blogged a couple days ago about her 508 training. Her riding is very impressive. She has improved a lot from all the training miles and just keeps getting stronger and I am getting dropped more and more. : )

Free Colorado bike map

Earlier this summer, when I was planning to ride the Furnace Creek 508, I was searching for Colorado bike maps to get ideas for training rides. I found these free from the Colorado Department of Transportation. The map classifies roads based on shoulder width and traffic volume and shows which roads are closed to bicycles.

Happy Jack Road

I have spent the last couple of weeks in Idaho. I am on Lisa Smith-Batchen‘s 508 crew and I have been doing some training with her and helping with the Grand Teton Races that Jay, Lisa and Zach put on at Grand Targhee over Labor Day weekend.

The races were great. One of the highlights was getting to meet Olga. She wasn’t able to run this year and many of the competitors can be thankful for that. She was out the entire 36 hours of the race giving runners great assistance at the main aid station. She was filling water bottles, helping with drop bags, taping feet, giving massages, encouragement, ultra-wisdom and smiles. I don’t know how many shoes and socks I saw her change. Her energy was amazing. She never seemed to tire.

On the drive from Colorado to Idaho Bonnie and I stopped and for an early morning trail run near the “Lincoln Monument” east of Laramie. There are some beautiful single track trails in the area. From I-80 West I took a right from the Happy Jack exit and another right past the Lincoln Monument and about 1/2 mile on a dirt road to a trail head. I started on the “National Headquarters” trail and looped around on a couple others for about a half hour. Bonnie loved it and helped me find the way back to the car. I had just picked up my orthotics the afternoon before. They felt great.