I Skate Now

I had the day off saturday, and so I drove down to Roscommon and The Cross Country Ski Headquarters for a skate skiing lesson. This is something that I've been thinking about doing for a long time now, and the lack a consistent classic conditions so far this winter finally pushed me over the edge. I worked with a dude named Hap for an hour on really nice rental stuff. He taught me three different skating techniques, and a few twists and turns later I almost had the hang of it. It makes such a big difference trying to learn something when you work one on one with a trained professional. I kept the gear for another hour and went out to explore their trails (which are really nice) by myself. By the end of those two hours I knew I was hooked. I picked out some really nice equipment and went to sit by the fire with my book and cup of Cliff's new Hot Chocolate Recovery Drink while they mounted the bindings and cut the poles down a tad. Less than 45 minutes later, I was on my way home with some exciting new gear and really, really sore arms and legs. Sarah and i went out to Good Hart Farms yesterday morning for a relaxing little ski, and I am to undertake no training today (well, I may go downhill skiing tonight with Sarah). I had a really good week training despite the uncooperative weather. I ended up with ten hours for the week, and the next few should be much the same while I continue to build towards the big 50k race coming in February. It's looking like it's going to cool off today and remain cold through the week, so the snow may be here for a while. Get out there and get it while the getting's good. Take care.