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MID-SEASON
JOANN HANOWSKI
Contributing Editor for the Master Skier
JoAnn, a Minnesota native has skied competitively for over 25 years. She has completed the past 24 American Birkebeiners and has earned many National and a few World Masters titles. She has been a member of Team Rossignol for almost 20 years. JoAnn is currently living in Vermont and is pursuing work in environmental consulting and coaching.
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October seems to be the month when Nordic skiers start to get fired up about snow. I saw pictures and articles on the internet about snow and early skiing in West Yellowstone, Montana. Skiing friends from Seattle emailed photos of skiers enjoying some early snow in the Cascade passes. Here in Vermont, the first visible snow on top of Mount Mansfield occurred early in the month.
These early signs of snow also reminded me of the long and frustrating wait that many parts of the country had last winter for that first good skiable snow. For many of us, that wait did not end until mid to late February. Winter took its time in coming last year and left me thinking that I should make a plan now to endure another snow challenged winter.
There are two major obstacles to address in a plan for a snowless winter, one mental (the snow fix) the other physical (the ski fix). Nordic skiers love snow not only because it provides the substrate for skiing, but also because it provides a mental stimulus required during the winter in a mostly drab colored world.
For skiers that live in regions where there is some elevation, a hike up to snow to do some backcountry skiing can provide a big mental stimulus and a good workout. I was able to ski some backcountry trails last year which provided this snow fix and satisfied my restlessness for snow for a few days.
If you live in an area that does not have snow at elevation, a frozen lake may suffice in providing a good workout and a winter fix at the same time. Skating on frozen lakes with ski poles using either skates or special Nordic skates can provide a fun and ski-specific workout. The only drawback to this is that it is pretty low resistance.
However, this can be remedied by pulling a sled or taking turns pulling a partner. On occasion, I have even resorted to classic skiing on ice using running shoes and short poles. You may get some odd looks from ice fisherman doing these activities, but when the fish aren’t biting, I bet we provide some good entertainment for them!
Without doubt, if you are aiming to get fit for a ski marathon or race, having snow for specific training is crucial. Having a performance goal and not being able to accomplish the training to meet this goal results in the greatest frustration for skiers. This is the biggest obstacle to overcome in planning for a snow challenged winter and requires a big change in attitude.
Over the past 25 years of ski racing, I spent many hours on the road chasing snow and it was effective. I was able to compete at a high level by skiing on the weekends. However, not all skiers have the time or opportunity to travel every weekend to ski.
An alternative plan for a snow challenged winter is to change your attitude. My plan this year includes a big rethinking of winter expectations.
I plan to take advantage of outdoor adventure opportunities that the season provides with or without snow. Frozen ground and leafless trees open up areas for adventure that may not be accessible during the summer or fall.
In addition to this attitude change, I am fairly superstitious and encourage all to make plans for a winter with little snow. With all these plans in place, we should all be guaranteed bountiful snow.
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