 Poster: A snowHead
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X-country skiing in the USA is in decline, according to this article by John Meyer in the Denver Post.
Of course, the total population of British langlaufers could be squeezed into a couple of minis. I mean, do you know anyone who is sensible enough to go for long quiet slides through beautiful forests, improving their cardio-vascular condition, and basically returning from their ski holiday in a far better condition that they started?
The situation in the nordic north is - needless to say - vastly different. These are intelligent healthy people. And there's plenty of enthusiasm in central Europe, too. 4000 racers have entered the 70km 'marathon' event in Marcialonga, Italy, on 30 January. The "invasion of the Vikings" will amount to nearly 850 skiers. This report from SkiRacing.com.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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In (sad) answer, David Goldsmith, lack of gravity, or rather a lack of opportunity for gravity to take over!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Love watching Biathlon on Eurosport, have never considered cross country skiing - probably cos it doesn't look that exiting. This year I saw a chap out with his dog x country skiing and I thought "that looks nice, get away from the crowds" ... next year I shall be taking the dog and giving it a go. Yeah yeah - i'm getting old!!!! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Goldsmith, excitement!
There doesn't seem to be much of it in cross country skiing. However, if I lived in a land subject to good snow cover for lenghty periods of the year I'd probably prefer it to running, or even winter mountainbiking.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| marc gledhill wrote: |
| However, if I lived in a land subject to good snow cover for lenghty periods of the year I'd probably prefer it to running, or even winter mountainbiking. |
For me it's exactly as Marc said there. As a club and XC runner doing long training miles in all seasons. the idea of cross-country skiing has always rather appealed to me. But I only get to see 4 weeks of snow and mountains a year, and the call of gravity is always going to win! If I lived in Scandavia then I'd probably take it up. Aside from winter touring attractions, as a cardio-vascular workout it's meant to be one of the most demanding sports - those biathlon athletes need extraordinary levels of CV fitness.
If we ever get enough snow on the Downs here in Bristol then you might see me out there doing circuits. 
David Goldsmith, and I reckon you could fit all of the British langlaufers under the age of 50 into the minis' front passenger seat.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 12-01-05 14:28; edited 1 time in total
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| Quote: |
There doesn't seem to be much of it in cross country skiing. However, if I lived in a land subject to good snow cover for lenghty periods of the year I'd probably prefer it to running, or even winter mountainbiking
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I agree with Mark. I'd happily cross country ski rather than run if I had good snow on my doorstep. And I'm afraid the 10 days skiing or so I get a year are too precious to 'waste'.
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So far of my 3 days skiing this year 2 were on my new nordic touring kit and the other was on AT gear. The nordic touring kit I've just bought (Fischer Boundless waxing skis with a Voile 3pin and cable binding) is pretty good. The skis have more side cut than my AT gear and worked well on the down hill, though I need to teach myself to telemark as most of the turns I did were parallel. I've also got to improve my wax choice as I was getting almost no kick last time I was out. Should probably have used klister, but it is so horrible to apply!
My one day out in the forest I did quite a bit of downhill I just had to go uphill under my own steam to get to it. It was good fun and good exercise  . I went xc skiing in Norway lasy year (aswell as down hill in france 2 weeks earlier) and I enjoyed that except the track skis were a pain to turn - hence the purchase of nordic cambered touring skis. I may regret it when I go to Norway again this year if I can't keep up with everyone else who is on thinnies, but I'll probably have the last laugh if /when we are on any downhill unprepared tracks which is a high probablility where we are going this year.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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You're all mad, a lot of effort to save on a lift pass 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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David Goldsmith, I need an excuse??!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Dave Horsley, I can't link on that, try this!
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That's quite close to me too. Mmmmm!
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brian
brian
Guest
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Ahem, no excuse here, I was 52nd in the 1988 UK cross country championship over 10K 
Not as bad as it sounds, there were 80 odd competitors and it was only my 2nd day XC skiing.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Sorry about thatmarc gledhill, I've now edited my link so it works aswell - must remember to take more care when I type links in by hand.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I believe there used to be a xc track near me in Co Durham , but don't know if it's still there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Goldsmith, I think most British skiers think it's really hard work. Try it and see guys - you can make it as hard or as easy as you like. We used to do it in Aviemore when there was too much wind to take the clients up the hill. round Lock Morlich or around on the forest trails - huge fun and everyone enjoyed it - especially seeing their instructors fall over on the downhill bits.
don't do it now because LDA really isn't any good unless you want to go round and round on the prepared piste (if they prepare it).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I XC sometimes, you can from the house in the winter. Where we lived in Germany there were marked trails in the forest round the house. For that matter I used to use them back when we lived in the Peak District, I'd get a few days each year. I use Nordic touring kit as I'm not in tracks most of the time, it's not very expensive to buy either.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My excuse? I've just been diagnosed with hypertension, so I need to watch what I do.
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ssh, depends on how you define xc skis, with my nordic touring skis you most definitley can do real turns in powder on them, but they are a bit wide for use in track. Also when I visited the Huntly Nordic Ski Club open day recently they had a video running of a group of (American I think) nordic skiers on track skis doing telemark turns in powder and doing jumps and the like.
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Wear The Fox Hat I recommend some downhill skiing followed by lots of red wine and cheese. Probably no good for hypertension but most patients manage the full course.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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My excuse: a number of years ago, I arranged for a weekend of xc skiing with a Swedish business associate, but there wasn't any snow: in February, anywhere within easy reach of Stockholm
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I did a day's X country on very easy trails and thoroughly enjoyed it. The difficult bit is downhill; without edges, it's not apparent how to turn at speed (no lessons, obviously). My chum fell over at the corner, I went round very elegantly on my inside leg, with my outside leg at right angles. Oddly, this move is rarely seen in the biathlon.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 13-01-05 18:52; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi richmond, last year I did xc for the first time at Sjusjoen. One of the days we skiied to Lillehammer (about 15km) downhill all the way and cheated by getting the bus back. My first time skiing skinny skis with no edges and for most of the week the tracks were hard as there was no fresh snow 'till our last day. Downhills were 'fun' especially the ones that ended with a road crossing at the bottom. If the hills weren't too steep the tracks stayed and you could just let the tracks take you round the corners, worked well as long as you didn't build up too much speed. Speed could be dropped by removing one ski from the track and stemming it to act as a brake. If it got too steep the tracks disapeared and I just did snowploughs, which were hard work but slowed me down and allowed me to turn the skis. Alternatively you could just step the skis around the corners like you see on the biathlon, but I still had to do a snowplough to slow down on the straights.
I'm getting round it this year by buying metal edged touring skis that have a decent sidecut and that turn real easy, plus I'm teaching myself to telemark. Also were going to Valdres this year where there will be alot more trails that are not prepared or only prepared at irregular intervals, so I'm hoping the fact that I won't be able to use the tracks won't be a big problem.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Too much like hard work. W-O-R-K my father always told me not to use four letter words. 
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