Working Man's Secrets to Success

By introduction I have been a Masters skier for a few decades and like anyone else, very hopeful about the racing season as it unfolds.

During this time, I have been a fulltime father of two very athletic/competitive kids who didn't share my passion for cross country skiing. I also coached youth soccer year round for ten years as well as having this pesky thing called a job. A job, as in wearing a suit and tie everyday to work. It seemed to always get in the way of things especially when business travel cropped up unexpectedly, i.e. Mon/Tues (Seattle) and Wed/ Thursday (Denver) and the Boulder Mountain Tour 32k race on Saturday. Sometimes when this happens just trying to relax is the best thing you can do.I'll refer to "The Jacked Up Old Man" (Duncan Douglas), who is probably one of the best masters skiers in the world, who is also a loving and proud father of 4 and a physician who works odd hours. He knows he has hours of managed chaos and stress and then race time. He focus' on these moments of going "tranquillo" in his mind. Translation, find the time to shut off the noise of the many voices inside your head constantly telling you of all the things you have to do or haven't done. Anyone who knows Duncan knows he has a mind that goes at warp.....and sometimes at warp speed.

Life has a funny way of throwing a knuckleball the best laid out plans for quality training on your favorite ski trail.

Some basic rules I have followed over the years to ensure a good ski racing season and positive winter experience :

1. Skiers are made in the summer, if you haven't put in the time, do not attempt to overtrain on your skis over the holidays as it will leave you pretty flat and possibly sick.
Moderation would be the key.

2. Stay regular, I'm not ready for metamuscle fiber supplements yet, but I know if I can't ski for a few days, I will try and find a spin class for cardio or lift weights for strength. Sometimes this can be more beneficial that just logging k's on ski's. Think of cross training as a good thing.

3. Keep your weekly routine on ski's mixed, i.e. two days for speed/cardio another day for distance/endurance then other days very easy and working on technique. Do not try and mix these work outs together due to time constaints or it is more than likely that you will
leave your best efforts in training and not at the races. I know this as in "been there...."
Sometimes you won't have time to do all of the above, so prioritise which days are going to work for the upcoming week as in is it distance, technique or speed that you are working on this week? Yet due to time you can only pick one.

4. Speaking of technique, many masters skiers always worry about training time and completely overlook efficiancy. Making the ski glide the most efficiant way is always going to make you a faster skier over any distance. I see many masters skiers absolutely killing themselves in race with the heart of a lion yet they have poor technique. It is something that will make them exponentially faster if they would just slow down and get it right first before attempting to ski fast. Once again...."been there...done that..."

5. Watch your weight and diet. At night after maybe you have had a good work out after
a hard day at work, you are famished. Have a big plate of carbo's to eat and I assure you that you will wear it the next day. Carrying it around is like taking a penalty lap in biathlon. Yes I have carried the weight around as well. A wise man named Ian Harvey
once impressed upon me that the correlation of how well you do at the Birkie can often be equated to the size of your butt. I know this also to be true.

Good luck and remember to smile and be thankful to be able to particepate in such a great sport as cross country skiing.

Cheers, Dave

Getting in the Zone

My time "in the zone" can best be described as exquisite pain, i.e. High revving stuff that rolls your eye's back... oh and your heart rate...., well that's classified as in if I told you I'd have to kill you.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Old Nordic has paid his dues the last 18 months teachin' himself to run again without injury.
Like "Christine" in the Movie "Gone in 60 Seconds", Christine is an old beast of a war horse that refuses to succumb to the scrap heap.

Such as it was was for Old Nordic. Did he run and race Mountain Races this late summer and fall in a competent manner? Yes.
Did he do "soft" running intervals on trails? yes. Just he just ride the infamous White Rim Trail solo in 8 hours, naturlich.

But none of it mattered to Old Nordic if he couldn't step on the track and have a crack at some real time intervals where the clock and the track don't lie.

Such as was for Nordic Dave as he dug up a fiendish workout plan from yester year to roll out onto the newest and best outdoor track recently refinished in SLC. 16x 300 meters with a 100 meter jog was the work out. No room for posers in this work out.
Nordic succesfully completed the prescribed pain fest with elan but not much panache. His first track workout in many years. Track work outs can best be described as you can run but you can't hide.

Ski season is close at hand........"For those about to rock we salute you! "

Report from 2009 NA BIrkebiener by Nordic Dave

Greetings nordic skiers and nordic ski enthusiasts too! 
 
Another year has come and gone and the aged yet more refined Nordic Dave must admit he's had a bad case of Birkie Fever. The North American Birkebiener is the race you think
about on a hot July evening while going up a dusty trail, sweating profusely, dreaming of cold and snow. 
 
Thousands of skiers descend upon the snowy cold winter wonderland in the north woods of Wisconsin creating a circus atmosphere that has come to the small towns of Cable and Hayward. The locals grateful as their cash registers come alive in what is otherwise the dead of winter. Wisconsinites' worship this event as if it were Mardi Gra's and the Boston Marathon all wrapped into one large slice of cheese. Mom's, Dad's, Grandma and Grand Dad and all the little kitties converge upon the spectacle as one or two of them in the FAM have thrown down the gauntlet and vowed to battle the Birkie and the 50k of relentless hills from Cable to Hayward. Regardless of what kind of physical shape they are in, they will brave the elements and hopefully brag to others back home that they conquered the Birkiebiener Trail by merely finishing it, sometimes in truly epic struggles many hours after the fastest skiers have gone home for a beer and a nap. Alcohol is the pre race diet for many of these hearty midwestern weekend warriors upon which they exhort the most trivial facts in high pitched Wisconsinite accents for everyone to hear whether you need to or not. 
 
Nordic's traveling partner on this adventure? NATURLICH, the indefatigable Yodel Boy auf Deutschland.  THE YB admittedly has his own case of Birkie Fever. Of course
the YB and ND are always observant of local customs and protocols and especially the lack of which can make for great entertainment while waiting out the pensive days and hours before race time. YB had many questions regarding these American northlanders 
much of which his older twin had difficulty explaining especially in the food service area.
Specific requests were made in excellent english for certain food items & always created a stunning surprise as to what the YB received in return. Nordic finally counseled the YB to no longer ask "WHY" things were so very bovine when dealing with the local inhabitants.
 
7,500 skiers have signed up for this bad boy, the mood before race day for the dynamic duo was pensive but calm when not entertained by food service workers. Meanwhile nordic had a few things on his mind as well. Like 4 years of mediocre results and it just happened to be the "Big Guy's" 21st Birthday weekend, a.k.a #13 and the wonderful memories they bring and how much he is sorely missed. 
 
Nordic's entire ski inventory begged to go on this trip. Each pair jumping out at nordic...
"pick me"..."pick me"....Yes nordic talks to his skis and they talk back to him. Nordic is the
"ski whisperer" . Nordic was looking for some cool confident skis that knew how to get the job done. A fitting tribute that the Madshus/Norwegian skis were the final choice. Anyone who knows the 1000+ year old history of the original Birkebiener trek, the equivalent of something like the 4th of July, can appreciate the next moment when nordic came face to face meeting the greatest nordic skier of all time, Bjorn Daelhie just prior to race start. 
As usual old nordic exhibited panache and tried to make a joke. The polite champion smiled and maybe chuckled a bit. 
 
Yes the prologue to nordic's adventure story has been long and fitting of such a race that causes curses and to swear never to return yet Nordic is back for his 8th time, the YB his 5th, Birkie Fever......
 
At the gun, the YB prefers to jump hard to the front, establishing himself with the lead skiers in the elite wave of 200 skiers. Meanwhile, Nordic is at the back starting slowly
and methodically working through 100 skiers in the first 5k before we enter the woods. 
 
The first 22k are very hilly with plenty of skiers mixing it up feeling good, looking good. 
Nordic has learned to notch it back a bit and let others show their hand. Nordic has diabolically fast skis and just swings along watching many of the lads hammer. Past halfway point plenty of effort expended yet the crux of the race is many kilometers ahead. On every hill a young buck will race Nordic to the top. Nordic lets him win this individual hill. Nordic wonders what is the point, do they think they are in a log rolling and or beer chugging contest? 
 
Somewhere around 30 to 38k, legs are cramping and the body is talking back to Nordic. 
Nordic slams energy drinks and gels as self doubt from 4 previous races creeps in. 
A few quick looks at #13 on his skis are like an energy jolt that no fluid or gel can match. 
He realizes someone else is along for the ride. The attitude adjustment is complete and just in time as Bitch Hill looms before Nordic and the 15 skiers following him. Bitch Hill is a 
show stopping wall at 41k that will light up any pretenders and hangers on. A cruel fact Nordic knows the hard way. Time to rev and rev hard. Where are these young bucks who wanted to race up the hills in their imaginary log rolling contests? Like a "masked avenger"
from super hero comics that has eaten spinach, Nordic is powering up with elan. Bitch Hill? 
The bitch was spanked.....
 
There are two long climbs left and 8k to go. The race is very definitely on! The final climbs and rollers V2'd with panache as those in chase have surrendered into V1 mode
somewhere off the back. The frozen lake appears to ski across, Nordic eyes the next group ahead, they can be caught. Stragglers from the group ahead are picked off and passed. The town of Hayward and Main street looms ever closer. High cadence yet legs and body screaming to stop if Nordic can just catch.....The race is over skiing up Main Street to a large crowd of spectators. Old Man Nordic smiles he's not sure what place he has finished, he really doesn't care at the moment, he just knows he skied a complete race and is satisfied. The memory in July will be a good the fever momentarily satiated.
Nordic later found out he finished 86th overall and 3rd in his age group. Meanwhile the YB has also had an excellent adventure in 43rd place with his own tales to tell of elan and panache. 
 
Since last year's Birkie, much has changed in Nordic's life. Nordic did note the sequence of events that have transpired starting with Ian Harvey reigniting Nordic's fever on last year's plane ride home the day after the Birkie as he mentioned something about power to weight ratio's that can be equated to the size of your butt. By no small coincidence Ian, due to a season ending injury, became Nordic's personal valet at picking up and dropping us off at start and finish this year. This was a huge favor Ian did for his friends  eliminating the stress of the crowds and normal procedures as he had access through security points. The YB estimated that it was easily worth 20 places in the race results. 
A fitting end to Ian's instigations of creating the fire within. We are told by wise men 
that there are no coincidences in life, I believe them. 
 
Stay tuned for more exciting and fascinating stories as told in the Nordic Dave Adventure Series. 

 

Spring 2009 Finland: excerpts from a Ski Marathon

  First installment of some of Nordic Dave's Adventures from 2008-9. Stay tuned for more to come. 
Greetings Nordic Skiers and nordic ski enthusiasts too! 
 
This is the final installment of the Nordic Dave Adventure Series for this truly memorable ski season. NO tell us it ain't so Nordic?! Well I'm afraid so campers, it's time for old Nordic to wander among the high mountain meadows still buried in 7 ft. of snow and ponder and reflect while mud season unfolds down below. Then it's afterall summer and everyone knows nordic skiers are made in the summertime. As a matter of fact 600 hours of hard training and ski racing later and old Nordic can tell you how the season ended. 
 
It was about 2 weeks ago that Nordic Dave and his younger twin brother, The Yodel Boy, returned to their homelands from dreamland, that's Finland, 200k north of the Arctic Circle. Is there a heaven you ask? Oh yeah Nordic reply's.....It's somewhere out there in Scandanavia. Muonio, Finland is close enough. A place where the pale blue arctic sky's matches the Laplander's eyes. If you are a nordic skier, you're at the top of the food chain. The forrests are endless expanses of healthy green, no brown needles here, no clear cut logging and mountains (Tunturi in Finnish) rise up 2,000 to 3,000 ft. as huge piles of treeless rubble, remnants of the ice age and countless lakes (Jarvi) are everywhere. A transition zone much like being high at or near timberline in the Rockies. 
 
There are perfectly groomed trails to ski that go through mtn. ranges, forrests and over frozen lakes. Snowmobilers have their own trails of which there are usually less of as they aren't at the top of the food chain like here in Utah. Just follow the signs and you can ski from town to town and border to border.  

Nordic was given a ski hat by the Finnair Air folks as he lined up with hundreds of other nordic skiers on holiday as we boarded the Helsinki to Kitala flight. The hat says "Illaski Kotiin". Nordic spent days asking people what it meant as he was averse to wearing something that said "Git 'er done" in Finnish or something. The best translation I was given was "welcome home". 
 
Spring Skiing in Lapland? Oh yeah there is most definately a heaven! 
 
The season ender is a veritable compendium of season enders, a cathartic process of depleting every reserve of asking yourself, self, did I get it right? 
 
Months ago, Nordic and the YB hatched a diabolical plan to train and race with elan and panache. To train in November with unfettered distraction of endless hours of skiing in B.C., Canada, to fun and frolick racing at the local races in the Intermountain West, gradually amping it up to the "A" races. The YB made 3 trips to the North America, Thanksgiving, XMAS and naturlich the Birkebeiner in Feb. He skied all the "A' races in central Europe that are typically shorter than the popular races in the U.S. yet they race on both Saturday and Sunday's there. As for Nordic, well ski all the best races that can fit into the plan, then we meet up for Lapponia Ski Week in Finland. It is one of the season finale's of the Euroloppet series. Such as it was for the Corporate Banker and the Corporate Insurance guy. We are serious business guys with a bit of a skiing problem. 
 
So there you have it, Laponnia Ski Week is made up of 3 races that occur on Monday, a 60k skate event. Wed. a 50k skate event and Friday, a no shit there I was, 80k skate race. The sum of the 3 races determined your overall result. Nordic was hoping for a top 50 finish under 11 hours. Beatings continued indeed! 
 
The German and the American, the only American found anywhere around, we were a bit terrified of what we were about to do yet quietly focused on doing everything we could do to endure the week. Naturlich, the YB fit in more easily with the other Europeans and the many Germans who also showed up. As for Nordic, he was always asking the YB what everyone was talking about. The YB peridiocally forgets which language he is speaking as Nordic stares back at him with a blank look. 
 
We did our best to smile and say hello to any and all yet most just just returned the gesture with a blank look or uncomfortable stiff nod. There were all kinds of skiers here for the event. "The Ski College" was here with a few other assorted academies for young racers, kind've like the Burke Mtn Academy in Vermont. Imagine lots of youngsters who raced hard all winter in shorter races showing up for this pain fest on spring break. These kids were serious about racking up post season training volume. You wouldn't see that in America, nooo....
 
Dozens of German and Scandanavian retirees. A stunning collection of mid 60 to mid 80 year olds here to particepate and endure as an outstanding testiment to their health. Nope, wouldn't see that in America either. Then there was the usual assortment of semi pro skiers and masters skiers. Finally one Kari Varis, a young man we had just watched on Finnish  television the day before racing at the Finnish National 50k Championships. I think he was in the top 3. That night he jumps in his car and drives north 10 hours to particepate in Laponnia Ski Week. 
 
Truely amazing this collection of skiers, about 500 racers per event for this week's pain fest. Typically in America you ski a 50k race and the norm is to put your feet up for a while. No chance of that here. This was no tour of fun and frolick, prize money was offered to the leaders. We focused extra hard on recovery on the one off day inbetween races like more water than you want to drink, sleep and nordic took a short sauna enough to break a sweat then a swim for 20 minutes in large lap pool that was colder than normal.  
 
Monday's 60k race was an education for old Nordic. The 9 hour time zone change and odd food selection didn't help matters. (Btw...Nordic liked smoked reindeer, salmon and Olut (beer) . ( Lapi Kulta and Karhu the recommended choices for suds.) Meanwhile back at race central nordic's expert keen eyes viewed the course profile in detail as he layed out his race strategy.  15k into the first race, there was a contiuos climb of about 700 feet in about 8k. Nordic would make his move there. 
 
The start of these races was nordic's first enlightenment to racing in Scandoland. 
Sprint hard across open ground until the trail funneled into the woods. A back up immediately occurs and everyone stops, lifts up their poles and waits for the jam up to clear. Nobody gets impatient, nobody says anything, we just wait to get moving again. Nordic saw only one broken pole in 3 days. Nope wouldn't see this in America or especially Central Europe either.   
 
Rolling out, things are tedious, nordic eyes a big line of about 70 skiers ahead of him. Nordic is curious, are we going to ski this slow fow how long? A few k later moving up through the crowd, up ahead about 30 or 40 men are following two young women. They do not pass or offer any help to lead the group out. Nordic feels like he's following some yackers on cell phones going too damn slow in the left lane. 
 
Out across a large lake, nordic moves up to the head of this large train. He pulls two or three with him as we take over the job of pulling everyone else. At the end of the lake a steep hill awaits, nordic doesn't think a thing and just skis up it. About 40 people instantly disapear from view, the large train isn't responding. Hmm, ok this is easy Nordic thinks....The ensuing forrest climbs gradually and Nordic is clearly thinking it's time to put some distance on this large group behind him. Then a large long hill pointing to the sky is before him, "let the big dog eat" ...Nordic thinks churning up this 5k climb lungs gulping lots of low altitude air of which there no seems to be an endless supply of. Lots o' Panache here as the old mountain skier is spanking it on the climb. Surely he'll have a long rest off the backside with a longer 10k descent around this mountain and back to some flat long lakes. 
Once above timberline in a beautiful arctic mountain meadow setting nordic relaxes drinking fluids taking in energy gels. A few k later Old Nordic is relaxed descending just swinging along, tra la, tra la..... In the words of our former and most revered leader,  "Mission Accomplished"... "Heck of a job Brownie" and other enlightening superlatives.   
 
Nordic's keenly wilderness trained ears hears a whisper in the mtn winds. Crow and Blackfeet don't come around in these here parts yet he knows he heard something he didn't like. There it is again.....it's very definately two female voices talking to each other. What the...?????? Nordic thinks....huh? Then again as they appear in a meadow behind Nordic and gaining ground fast. They are moving, really moving as they pass by, followed by two young bucks just hanging on to the back. Nordic latches on and is taken for a fast ride. We are working hard, dang hard down the mountain. This is a new tactic and a clever one as these Scando gurls never bothered to work going up the mountain when the descent was far longer and time is easily made up here. 
 
Back down on the flats, work becomes especially hard for Nordic, as his eyes sink into his sockets a little deeper trying to focus and hang on to this group of 5. At 45k after finishing one hard windy lake we go a short stretch in the woods and across another lake. A sign appears on the ice, "Hot coffee, Cake and Beer here" pointing to a cabin on the lake shore a few hundreds of meters away. UUUUGGHHH! Nordic must be hallucinating not a good sign at all. Sure enough the small group begins to break up the mental focus and concentration smashed to peices. Nordic has to let the ladies of high cadence drift away into the distance as it's every skier for themselves now. That out of body twilight zone feeling is setting in as Nordic is frantically drinking and eating yet cadence is dropping, heart rate plunging refusing to rev anymore. In the distance, Nordic can see large trains of skiers at the edge of meadows hundreds of meters away moving in on Nordic. VULTURES! Nordic thinks.....
 
It's a painful humbling experience getting passed by 25 to 30 skiers and losing about 7 minutes in the last 10k. About 7k of it are some really nasty short hills. Nordic looks and feels like an old 70's VW Micro Bus struggling to make it up a Colorado mtn pass on a hot summer day. For Nordic, the race is over in 3 hours 15 minutes. Nordic is thrashed, he's dug himself a nice big hole, finishing in 60th and in huge need of recovery. He wants a Lapi Kulta and a nap. 
 
Really nice way to start things off Nordic tells himself, knowing full well the beatings will continue.... Meanwhile the YB has skied well and finishes in 3:02 in about 20th place. His demeaner is much sunnier than his dispirited roomate. After hearing for the tenth time from Nordic how he had buggered up the race, the YB just asks Nordic to shut up! Nordic thinks about this and knows the YB is right. Then Nordic realizes how positive this can be. Normally a skier travels to a race and either races well or doesn't. He is then left to bitch about it or revel in his own deluded glory for some period of time. NO SUCH LUCK HERE at Lapponia Ski Week where you are only as good as your last race with another pain fest clearly imminent.
It's about then that Old Nordic realizes that yes indeed, The beatings will continue until the morale improves....! 
 
Meanwhile back at race central the next day at the feeding hall of strange food, the wax room, etc...Being the only American, Nordic clearly dettected snobbery.
He is sure there were snickers about the guns blazing American. Nordic thinks it won't happen again, umm if he can help it. Fortuidously, Wednesday is the sprint race, a mountainous 50k. The YB tries to coach his older twin on being patient. An oxymoron for this duo to even discuss. 
 
Wednesday's race starts with a 2k sprint across a lake before it becomes a mountain trail climbing 1,000 ft in 5k then big rollers up on the ridgelines. Nordic positions himself in striking distance of various skiers he has identified from the last race. He moves easily through the skiers on the climb but just keeping it slightly notched back. Meanwhile the ever patient YB is leading the entire freaking race up the mountain like he was shot out of a canon. 
 
The mountain top and ridgelines are really beautiful, there is a need to stop and just look yet no time for that. Sure enough Nordic has placed himself with the two fast ladies and 3 young bucks up top. We start to descend and sure enough the ladies descend like Falcons out of the sky. Nordic the wiser of this scando tactic gives chase. Sure enough these two can be real domitrix's at this tactic of high cadence on long sloping descents. Nordic just swings along enjoying the view from behind. Rolling through countless meadows and over another plateau, Nordic takes his turn pulling up front as we reach another long descent of almost 15k dropping us into the valley of the finish area at race central somewhere on the other side of it 25k away. Sure enough same thing as this high cadence downhill stuff is painful for old Nordic as his heart rate has never dropped below 160 during the race but more like 170 going down the mountain in V2 to V2 alternate mode then dropping into a tuck on high speed turns only to rev it up again a few meters later.
 
The final 10k over lakes and forrest, the race is very definately on. Nordic is reving at or near his HR max in the 180's, we are catching skiers from up ahead. 5 of us now become 12. Nobody is in the mood to get passed it's too hard to pass back. Across the valley and we have arrived, the final 2k of nasty stair case style walls are upon us. At 48k it's time to dig deep and crawl up these things. With each climb there is no descent, just a flat section then another climb. The pain is exquisite yet nordic is smiling as we finish in a group. We just skied a mountainous 50k course in 2 hours and 9 minutes. Nordic is 34th, the YB 18th and 5 minutes ahead. It's a cool sunny day, the dynamic duo in moods to match. 
 
Yes perhaps by coincedence some have noticed the American can ski as they begin to say hello first and make conversation with Nordic. Yes Nordic was correct on the body language exhibited from the same people from the day before. A good hard beating can change that attitude. 
 
In the meantime Nordic and the YB have befriended Conny and Otto. Two older German men in their late 60's. They are both seasoned World Loppet skiers and have raced everywhere many times. Otto has suffered a heart attack and is there to support his buddy Conny. Conny looks to be fitter than Nordic yet has suffered a fall in Monday's race and badly injured his wrist and is done racing. Conny and Otto became our race support crew before after and during the 50k race. A huge advantage to have as we feel like pampered athletes. Our persistent loquaciousness has also befriended some Spanish guys who are former Professional Basketball players. They are interested to know how many Utah Jazz basketball palyers that Nordic might know. Hmmm retired Spanish league basketball players that have become passionate nordic skiers....The world is turning eh?!
 
And then there he was, sitting next to us one night at dinner. A smiling Finn at first of few words. He looks at me like he knows me. I turn to talk to him, he allows that he is from Chicago. I ask, have we met before? Yes he says, it was November 2007 at Bullwinkles bar in West Yellowstone, Montana. HOLY MOTHER OF NORDIC SKIERS! Nordic and the YB next blurt out simultaniously...."You're the guy who told us about this race 18 months ago....!" Jukka Lyly-Yrjanainen. His last name means long ski in Finnish, Yukka becomes our cultural tour guide for the rest of our stay in Finland. 
 
O' dawn thirty on Friday is a harsh reality. Nordic's stomach refuses anymore strange breakfast food. It is cold about 12f, we have an hour bus ride and an epic mountainous 80k event to seal the deal with. Nordic doesn't feel well, the YB senses it and justs shuts up. The dynamic duo has never raced 80k before much less two events prior in the same week. 
 
Conny and Otto expert race technicians take care of us and our gear as we warm up on another frozen lake. The morning is the coldest start yet, Nordic is feeling better about being on cold dry snow and his trusty Madshus skis with cold grinds from Nordic Ultratune. 
 
The start is slightly bizarre and possibly they announced that it was a "rolling start" but when it's done in Finnish you never know as in, "Umm what did he say..." ? This start begins when a snowmobile just goes in front of the crowd like a race pace car and everybody just starts skiing. Nordic is jumped and goes from 15th to 100th trying to figure out what is going on. There is no room to pass on this lake so we just double pole swinging along. Tediously 4k later we are off this lake and stupid start. The woods appear and a long climb of about 20k and a few thousand feet of climbing are next. Nordic is trying to be patient as his ever so wise brother has admonished earlier in the week but alot of people need to be passed. Many are passed without comment, then the 3rd place female says something to Nordic. She's young kinda' cute smiling and says "illalalylali" or something to that effect. Hmmm, no clue, "uh American, no comprende" is all I can say back and no response as I ski on. The 80's song "I'm on a Mexican Radio" flashes through Nordic's brain. Meanwhile a few k later, we are climbing up a long narrow gully that a bobsled with skis is better suited for. Nordic's skis are gliding up hill nicely just a little further than everybody elses. A great feeling to have in a mountainous 80k race. People are passed constantly as heart rate is monitered and revving at level 4 in the 160's just swinging along. 
 
Nordic picks up the pace when he sees skiers he recognizes ahead. Ruedi from Switzerland is pulling the group. "Yo Ruedi how ya doin ....?" Ruedi is a tempermental tight assed Swiss skier about my age who's name I had to pry out of him earlier in the week. Ruedi was one of the boys snickering earlier in the week. Of course there is no reply. Messing with Ruedi is gonna be fun, "Uh yo Ruedi, I'll take it from here" as Nordic skis ahead to pull the group. Ruedi doesn't like this and takes the lead back from Nordic fairly quickly. Ok Ruedi, whatever...as I let him work himself into nothing. A few k later we are climbing and closer to another group just ahead. Nordic and another skier take off and ski all out to catch this group. 5 minutes later we attach ourselves to this big group that was about 150 meters ahead. We are latched on and smiling, Nordic looks back, the other smaller group behind us has disintegrated and split up behind us. Auf Weidersein Herr RUEDI! 
 
Meanwhile this big group we are in is working pretty hard, many of the same skiers Nordic skied the last 10k with in the 50k race. Something is different though. The lead ladies are tucked into the middle with lots of young bucks up front putting in surges. Old Nordic's legs and heart wonder how long he can take this. At 40k still high up in the mountains a hard surge is put on revving nordic to near 95% of max HR. Hang on is all he can think. Skiers are getting spit out the back, clearly the intent of the young bucks at the front. It's really important to think about fluids and gel intake early and often in these races. Nordic's water bottle has frozen solid. One of the young bucks up front is actually a top Finnish skier and he is pullng this train becuase the second place woman is his wife. He is there to be the boss and dictate the race to everyone else in this group. Nordic has his heart in his throat at 50k hoping to make it to the 60k mark where Conny is waiting on the side of a mountain at an alpine ski resort with a fresh water bottle. We are rolling through meadows reving high,Nordic is gapped from the group struggling trying hard to reattach. First they are 10 seconds ahead then 20....at 55k Nordic throws in the towel and backs in off 5 beats in heart rate, the group fades away about a minute ahead as Nordic reaches the 60k aid station where Conny hands him a new warm water bottle as Nordic smiles...."Vielen Danke Conny!"
 
At 60k we drop down the mountain bigtime, we are now on the same course as the 50k race. A few k down the mountain Nordic feels pretty good knowing the race is gonna go pretty well to the finish. Skiing hard at 70k some of the younger "Ski College" boys appear they too off the back of the group ahead. Off the mtn. though lakes and woods, it feels much more like a 30k race instead of an 80k race. We are skiing hard, adrenline rushing, Nordic still has snap and pop, crunching his torso trying to get all of his body to propel him to the finish with Das Kinder passed yet in hot pursuit.
 
There it is the last 2k, the insidious staircase climb with no rest. Nordic has gapped the young bucks by 75 meters in rolling hills. It's time to climb. The last hill, on the last climb, the two kids have come from no where and pass old nordic with a few hundred meters to go. 
 
Nordic has no response, he's carefree, he can't help it, he knows he's kaput he has no more racing in him. He smiles and reflects on the entire ski season, where he is and looks at number 13 for one last time this year. We did it eh buddy? He quietly thinks. Did you enjoy the ride??..."Btw...Thanks alot for your help!" As he smiles again....
 
Out of the woods across the finish line in 33rd place, Conny holds Nordic up to take his skis off. His best friend comes up to give him a bear hug and a huge smile. We laugh and smile together, we did it, we did it!.... is all we can say to each other. 9 hours and 13 minutes later Nordic has completed 190k of racing. The YB has finished 18th overall and and old Nordic rallied to 33rd overall and in a familiar spot of 3rd amongst the old guys in the 50+ age group.  
 
Ah the beatings....Nordic smiles numb, exhausted and shaking hands amongst many new friends and fellow competitors. 
 
Stay tuned for next year as Nordic regales you once again with always fascinating and exciting stories as told in the Nordic Dave Adventure Series.

Keene Hill Via Cascade & Porter Mountain

Over 20 years ago I had an obsession with the Keene Hill in Lake Placid.  Some days I would literally go up that hill three to five times between Rollerskiing and Cycling Until I became stupid enough to rollerski down it I  had to arrange a ride or hitchhike to the bottom.  

I actually even rollerskied down it on Edsbyn classic rollerskis. Remember those long 3 wheeled skis with large plastic wheels with strips of hard rubber on the outside??

Why did do this, especially since I did not even train regularly on those vintage early 80 classic rollerskis. 

It was because Lake Placid Legend had it that Craig Ward would do it.  Of course I had to take the challenge.

It was a blast around 40 MPH on a pair of rickety skis that wouldn't track straight for all of the the Saudi's Riches.  Constantly taking little steps like a tap dancer on speed all the way down Keene Hill by myself. With the biggest grin on because I was doing it and escaping death with every passing second.

Now the Jacked Up workout.

Drive or Bike to  the Cascade Trail head. Run up Cascade and Porter Mountain come down from Porter over Blueberry to Marcy Field in Keene, NY. Of course Carrying ski boots and rollerskis in backpack.  Quick change into skis and back up the Keene Hill to your Bike or Car.

Awesome workout no need for car and you can waste a couple of hours doing something fun and unique.

Jacked Up Nation

 This is the place to come to read about  JackedUp Athletes  and how, why and what they are doing.  Whether you are a cyclist, triathlete, runner,  swimmer,  cross country skier you are welcome to share our experiences.