Wet & Bored? Try the Training from Hell: THE SLIDEBOARD

So, the weather here in the great Minneapolis Metro has not been conducive to rollerskiing for the past few days. What to do? Two options: cross train, or rest.

I am not going to wax eloquent on the benefits of rest (which I did yesterday). Anyone who is an athlete knows one needs rest every now and again. I am not the best--I have to force myself to do it, because exercise is my stress relief and I am a "do-er;" sitting on my butt drives me bonkers. However, I had to cross train today, because we had wet, cold, and windy. Since some of the wet included a few snowflakes, I am not going to gripe too much. At the same time, all I could think was: OK. Now what?

I am a big-time biker--my main sport. But at this time of year, I don't always have the outside option; I am not a big "let's bike in the rain" person--not even for cyclocross, which I like to do occasionally. I like to stay healthy and wet + cold + windy + not being able to get warm & dry immediately after a workout = me potentially getting sick. Enter my frienemy, The Bike Trainer.

Ugh. 30-50 minutes is about all I am good for. If, like me, you hate to workout indoors, Make it count. Whatever you do, don't do "junk miles"--be they running, biking, or anything else. BUT, if you want more specific training, might I introduce you to....THE SLIDEBOARD?

Yes, friends, the slideboard. This is a cool little thing I learned about from my speed skating buddy, Mel. She took me to the indoor workout area at the John Rose Oval one day, and introduced me to this lovely little torture device. This picture shows the basic idea:

The board is a smooth surface with "bumpers" on each end. You can buy (or make) them in various lengths. You can train either in old socks, specially-made booties, or surgical scrub booties. As the picture shows, you slide back and forth against the bumpers, and it is a leg-and-core-only workout (vs. the Ski Erg--but that's a story for another day). 

All I have to say is it is NOT as easy as it looks. It is meant predominantly for inline & speed skaters, as well as hockey players. If you turn your feet at the wrong angle, you lose your balance. If you don't push off hard enough, you just...stop. Here is a good video of how one can progress. As you see, he starts with a shorter slide (about 6 ft.), then moves to longer (about 8 ft.)The guy leaves both his feet on the board, but when you get really good, you can glide on one foot--not a technique for beginners. I tried. I looked like a penguin attempting flight. 

Your heart rate goes up amazingly quickly, and it takes a while to build up to any sort of time on it. I have to take a LOT of breaks. Mel and I did some plyos, weights, and other conditioning in between. So, you can make it like circuit training, if you have adjustable weights at home, like PowerBlocks (but you can get "off" brands cheaper, though with fewer weight options).

You might be saying "but this is for skaters--I am a skier!" Yes, this is true. But remember what you were told when you were (or are) learning how to skate ski? Glide on one foot for as long as you can. Glide on the flat part of your foot. Keep your balance. "Hop" from one foot to the other (especially on uphills). Yes, kiddies, you can practice all this fun on a slide board, all the while getting a little core workout and your heart rate up. 

They start at about $100 and can run to over $600. You can also find plans online to make your own for under $100--which is what I did. It is not quite finished. I have to drill the holes in the board & put the pegs in my 2x4 bumpers, then cushion them. But after the wet and nasty crap of today, I am very motivated to finish this iron maiden of cross training. Give it a try if you ever get the chance. I guarantee you will be sore as hell afterwards and be cussing it (and perhaps me) a blue streak. Then again, that is what the off season is for, right?

Extolling the Virtues of CAT Skiing

In one of my first posts, I talked about Classical All-Terrain skis, also known as CAT skis. As a reminder, they look like this:

The photo is from their website: http://www.catskier.com/ and doesn't show them mounted with bindings. Unless a store near you carries them (and they are few and far between), online is the best place to buy them. 

Many people will say that the CAT ski is unnecessary--that a person can get as good a workout with pole hiking and still work on their technique. This is where we will agree to disagree. 

The fact of the matter is, though I did not start taking XC skiing more seriously until I was in my late teens/early 20s, I have been XC skiing since I was 7. I started as we all do: on short skis, with basic equipment. I am old enough to be from the 3-pronged toe binding era, if that gives you any idea how long I have been doing this...

I learned to propel myself forward, how to negotiate turns, and how to fall--always a necessary skill. Some downhill skiing in my youth also helped improve my confidence on the hills, taught me how to better turn, as well as to not be afraid of eating snow. By the time I was 17-18, I got into skate skiing, and fell in love with it. Of course, my technique sucked at first, but overall, I took to it like a duck to water, and that is my main ski technique. But I never quit classic skiing.

The beauty of classic skiing is that, with cheap, wide equipment, you can go out in crap conditions and get a workout. You can go out in deep, new snow on fish scales and enjoy un-groomed terrain. You can control your heart rate easier. But, if you want to go fast or do marathons, reality kicks in, literally: you need good technique, and that means proper kick.

Oh, sure: you can use brute force to muscle through a classic event--if you have it. But, as the terrain gets tougher or the event gets longer, if you don't have good technique, it is absolute hell. 

Try as I might, and did for a long time, I could only improve my technique on classic skills so much, even with lots of official and unofficial coaching. I don't know if I just didn't "get" what was being explained, or if it was more how it was being explained. But, I would take what I had heard, try it on my own repeatedly, and still feel like I wasn't as good or efficient as I could be. 

My now-husband--who is from Texas originally, and said would never XC ski--eventually took up skiing a couple years before we got married (I finally talked him into giving it a try--on flats and fish scales at first, of course). Surprise, surprise, he loved it, and got us into a ski club so he could get better coaching than from me, for classic. He joined the classic group, & I went the skate route (of course). 

It wasn't long before he could outdo me on classic skis based on technique. I could go as long as he could, as my base has always been generally better than his, but I was pissed that he could out-pace me. I did some of the classic classes with him and got better, but still felt like he was stronger. Out of a combination of desire to have another outside fall athletic activity and pure desperation, I bought some CAT skis. 

Holy Difference, Batman. 

I used them all fall, mixing CAT skiing with rollerskiing and cycling. When the snow finally fell, of course I started with the skate skiing--easier to do on thin, man-made groomed snow (and that year Mother Nature was not kind to us skiers). When we finally got good base and deep tracks, I condescended to get on the classic skis with my husband. All of a sudden, I wasn't working that hard. My kick was right where it should have been, when it should have been, without my having to think about it. Why was that?

The simple fact of the matter is that if you don't have proper technique on CAT skis, you will go nowhere. No--really. You will literally go nowhere. You will slide on them, but not move forward. My friend Michelle tried them and got so frustrated. This is because she is a runner, and there is that big of a difference between running and XC skiing. She kept wanting to "run" on the CAT skis, and you simply can't do that. So, I learned very quickly how to move so I could move. 

It is better, generally speaking, to have a shorter "glide" phrase on the CAT skis, and mine tends to be a little longer, but I have been working on that, and now my stride is a lot more like my husband's--who also ended up getting a pair, by the way, to better prep for snow. Though he had good technique before, he feels he has gotten even better, thanks to the CAT skis. We now sound like a matched pair of metronomes when we go out together.

So, am I "dissing" pole hiking? Of course not! It is a great--and much cheaper--way to prep for classic XC skiing. All you need are good trail shoes and some old poles. And, can it help you with technique? Yes, it can. But for me, CAT skis solved my problems. As I have been skiing since age 7, of course I probably acquired some bad habits, and my preference for skate skiing likely didn't help. Coaching helped some. Dry land also helped. But the honest truth is that, if it weren't for the CAT skis, I'd still have to think a lot more about my technique. 

I am still a skate-skier at heart, and always do my marathons that way. But, thanks to CAT skis, I am actually considering something like the Seeley Hills Classic--only the 22K to start, of course. However,  a few years ago I would have never even considered a classic-only marathon or half marathon. It just sounded like too much work. It just goes to show you what a difference "getting" proper technique really makes. So, do whatever it takes to do so. You still need good wax and properly flexed skis, of course--but that is a given, in my opinion. Take that out of the equation and, for my money, CAT skis are a sure-thing. 

Braking Down

Let's talk brakes today. Not all rollerskis come with them. Some have them as accessories. The question becomes: are they worth it? It kind of depends on where and how you ski, and the wheels you use.

TYPES OF BRAKES

Pull-up  on the Handle: I get most of my skis from The Rollerski Shop. This is because they have good products at fair prices. Yeah, I know all about how Marwe is supposed to be "the ultimate" rollerski and closest to snow feel, yadda yadda yadda. However, in my experience, any rollerski (RS) that uses RS specific wheels has close-to-snow feel--at least, as close as you will ever get, when you are on asphalt. The Rollerski Shop's brake, new this year, looks like this:

It has no rubber, but as the owner clearly states, it is meant to SLOW you down. And it works at doing so (though not as well with inline wheels, for sure). I had these ancient rollerskis (inline boots mounted to a LONG skate with 3 wheels) that had a similar system, which seems to be the basis for this. The brake is attached to a handle, strapped around your waist. You pull up on the handle, which depresses the metal arch over the wheel. I like it better than the ancient skis, which had a rubber pad the handle pulled on, to get the brake to hit the pavement to stop; it was too close to the ground, and would trip me up going over anything more than small bumps.

Push-back on the Calf Brakes: Powerslide--a speed-skate company based in Germany and relatively new to the rollerski business--has their own brake, similar to others I have seen (V2). It is the "push back your calf" type of set up:

The concept is always the same: push back your calf and depress the rubber brake pad against the wheel to slow down/stop. The problem with these, I think, is that they are dedicated to the manufacturer. They mount to the shaft of the ski in a specific way. However, since shafts are typically a universal width, The Rollerski Shop brake might be more versatile (I am going to play with this later this month). 

I could post more pics etc. But the real question is: do they work? 

ACTUALLY STOPPING?

Well...sort of. The thing is, you just can't stop on a dime with rollerskis, any more than you can do so with inline skates, to be honest. And inline skaters who stop quickly don't have brakes; they are on the super-fast speed skates, and know how to "snowplow," drag a skate, or do a hockey-style stop. 

Brakes are good if you are dealing with steep downhills on which you are trying to control your speed, or you need to slow before getting to an intersection. They are also weighty and sometimes cumbersome, impeding your form a bit, or accidentally engaging when you don't mean them to. 

What Most People Do: It is well for people to learn how to "snowplow" with rollerskis--turning them inwards in a V-shape and going knock-kneed to slow down. When you get advanced, you learn to alternate picking your skis up off the asphalt a bit (while in the V-shape) to slow down. If you watch the start of this video, it is the technique right after "The Parachute." Don't ever try to fall and roll (1st technique)--you simply can't with the freakin' long shafts of rollerskis. And the rest of the video shows techniques you also can't really do with skis. 

When in a Pinch: You can roll right into the grass--but then be prepared to fall, because you decelerate very quickly. Again, it's better than falling on pavement. 

Controlling Speed on Hills: If you are able to, start at the top of a steep hill with one foot in the grass, if the drop-off is not too steep from trail/road to grass--but NEVER in gravel. The foot in the grass (usually the right one) will roll slowly enough to moderate your speed--and you can always just fall into the grass to stop, if needed (which is a lot softer than asphalt...believe me). 

However, if the grassy shoulder is untenable or inconsistent (or maybe has sharp curves you can't see around), just either walk down the hill with skis on (sideways if needed), or take your skis off and walk down the hill. Safety First!

If you ski mostly on flats, brakes are really not necessary, or are needed more if you have a lot of intersections you have to cross and you don't trust cars (which I never do). But, if you do a lot of (more steep) hilly terrain, it might behoove you to get a ski to which you can affix a brake. 

And a word to the wise: ain't nuthin' gonna' help you on wet pavement. If you want to skate in that stuff, you're on your own, pal!

Where Did I Leave Off? Oh Yeah...Wheels, Part 2

It's amazing how one doesn't post for almost a year, once real skiing begins and then transitions into biking season. The spiel on wheels fell apart, since the snow started to fall.

But, since the basics were posted, and it is now "high holy rollerskiing season" (again...), I had better finish it. I mentioned Material, Durometer (think "durable"), Size, and Shape. Here's what it all means:

Size + Shape =: Bigger wheels--especially inline wheels vs. true rollerski wheels--have more "taper"; that is, if you look at their profile head on (front to back), they look like they are "V-ing" at the top and bottom. This is less stable/solid, but makes you work on balance. And, of course, big = fast. These are great for dry days and flat terrain.

However, if your rollerski has no brake, you had really better know how to stop them, or be comfortable rolling off into the grass (and maybe falling down...). I use 100mm for things like the Northshore Inline Marathon--one of the only rollerski marathons in the country. The other is in Grand Marais, MI...today, incidentally. Oh well...maybe next year...

Durometer + Size = An Important Relationship: This is really the most important thing, especially if you are going to use inline wheels on rollerskis. Composition and durometer are intimately linked. That is a given, but since I don't know the breakdown of polyurethane vs. whatever else, I will not go there.

But, I can go into size and its relationship to durometer. If you go too soft, the wheel will break down quickly outside. However, that is more an issue with something like roller hockey, where you do a lot of tight turns and quick stops.

I have found that using a little softer wheel--say, a 77A--gives me a lot less "feedback" (vibration) from the road than a harder wheel. But, were I to use that with a big wheel, I would probably be losing chunks from the wheel left and right, thanks to rocks, twigs, etc. That crap could easily bite into the softer compound.

So, I went to Goodwill, and for $10 bought a lightly used pair of inlines, took the wheels off (78mm with 77A durometer) and gave them a try. Bazinga. I not only got less road chatter, but I lost little speed (averaging 10-12 mph on a steady-pace day, vs. 12-14), and I got a LOT more control--especially on the "big" hills at the local park.

Whereas before, I would have to go down 6% trail hills with one foot in the grass (since I don't always have a brake on my skis), I can "snowplow" these suckers the whole way down, and maintain control. Amazingly enough, they aren't worn to shreds, either. My husband used to aggressive inline at skate parks, and I had him take a look. He said they are fine.

I will say that it looks like the front wears down a little faster than the rear, which doesn't happen with bigger wheels. That's easy enough: rotate the rears to the front and vice versa, when you notice too much wear. My guess is this is from the front-leaning position we skiers use.

So Why Use Inline Wheels on Rollerskis? Basically, I like to go farther and see more in the time I rollerski. I get super bored, seeing the same terrain all the time, and find it ridiculous to have to drive somewhere just to get different scenery (though I will do it to get more and bigger hills, or ski with other people). With rollerski wheels, pushing hard, you will average maybe 10-12 mph (unless you are Matt Liebsch...). But, I can use less energy and get the same (or faster) speed with inline wheels, while working on my balance. And, occasionally I can talk my dad or husband into biking next to me if they want an easy workout (since I am WAY faster than the hubby on rollerskis, and my Dad doesn't use them at all). Give them a try. You just might like them!

Good Places to Buy Wheels:
Inline Warehouse This is my go-to site. Very helpful people who seem intrigued by the use I put to their wheels.
Inline Skates Have never bought from them, but they seem pretty cool.
Adam's Inline This guy is Minneapolis Local--my friend skates for his team, and she rocks, so I'll give him a plug.
Pierce Skate and Ski This is on the opposite end of Minneapolis from me, but I bought my ice speed skates from them, and the guy who heads up the skate department know his s*it. (Ted Petroskey)

Spiel on Wheels, Pt. 1

Well, it is November 30, and the light snow of October (and Thanksgiving Day) has yielded little hope here in the Twin Cities Metro area of MN. So, the wheels are still rolling, and I can give the first part of the spiel about wheels. Please note this pertains to freestyle skis only, since classic roller skis demand the use of roller ski-specific wheels.

Main issue = Composition: Roller ski wheels are NOT made of the same material as Inline wheels. Roller ski wheels are made of a rubber compound, much like bike or car tires. Even the V2 wheels (which are pneumatic) are rubber. This makes them heavier and generally more durable--and typically slower. Inline wheels are made of varying types of polyurethane. The amalgamation will determine how long an inline wheel lasts--and they still typically don't last as long as roller ski wheels.

Durometer: Related to composition, this is another word for "hardness." Roller ski wheels are pretty much one hardness (unless you go pneumatic, of course). However, inline wheels have a lot more variation. Wheels used indoors are often a bit firmer, because one is on a uniform surface; you want to roll as fast as possible. But, when a person goes outdoors, the change in terrain means you need a mix of durable, yet stable. This means a mid-level durometer. 84A is the standard outdoor wheel. I will talk about this in more depth later.

Size: Generally speaking, the size of a roller ski wheel is around 100mm. This is a little larger than the diameter of a hockey puck. However, inline wheels can be anywhere from about 60-110mm. In fact, inline marathons have rules about how big the wheel can be--only 100mm

Shape: Yes, all wheels are round. What I am talking about is the taper of a wheel--that is, the "sharpness" of the "angle" when you look at a wheel dead-on. Think of a car tire. When you look at it from the front of the car, from left to right it looks almost "flat." There is more surface area contacting the pavement. Comparing a roller ski wheel to an inline wheel, the former looks more like a car tire, and the latter looks more like a bicycle tire. The taper from the "tip" of the wheel to the rim is more pronounced in an inline wheel. 

These are the basics. What this all means I will talk about later!

(Pole) Size Matters...

If you cross country ski, you know that it is important to have the right length of pole. And, of course, there is some variation, based on personal preference. This article gives a general guide. According to that guide, I "should" be skating with 145cms. Right... When I am on snow, I prefer a longer pole. I tend to swing my arms higher and really dig into the snow. However, that being said, terrain has something to do with it, too. I can get away with 150cm+ on a flat course, since I have pretty good technique on the snow for V2. But, on hilly courses, shorter is definitely better; I am doing way more V1, and steep hills make using long poles a beast.

Then we have playing on the road. Things are a little different on roller skis, in my experience.

In the first place, there is the issue of wheels vs. snow. If you are skiing on "real" roller ski wheels, you are more likely to emulate real snow conditions. In this case, the "normal" to longer pole length is fine. However, I prefer to use inline hockey wheels most of the off-season, for a number of reasons (which I will enumerate in a later post relative to wheels). This means I am going faster. This also means I want more control.

If you are new to roller skiing, the balance on the wheels--even real roller ski wheels--is a little weird, compared to snow. Hence, I really recommend using a shorter pair of poles. You won't have these long things flailing around, with the potential to get caught in A) your skis or B) a passing cyclist's wheels, a dog's leash, or the eye of an unsuspecting runner. But there are benefits to a shorter pole for me, when I am using my inline/polyurethane wheels.

Since I get going up to speed pretty fast, it starts to outpace my roller ski technique. I said I was good on the SNOW. I never said I was as good on the asphalt. The shorter pole keeps me from getting so much power out of my upper body--and, for a girl, I have a lot of power to be had from said upper body. In addition, this lesser speed + more control means it is a lot easier to do V2 on the asphalt. I may not look like this guy...

...but I look a lot better than I otherwise would, trying to move with longer poles. And, there are times when I need to use a shorter pole; I have occasionally problematic shoulders from a genetic abnormality, so using even normal length poles causes pain. But, using the short poles keeps the tendons from pinching too much, and I can rehab and ski all at the same time.

So, when it comes to working on technique on the asphalt, do one of two things: stick to real roller ski wheels and correct pole length, or if you want to use inline wheels, go with a slightly shorter pole. That's my two cents on the topic.

Road Raving: Advice and a Rant

I don't know about you, but I get pretty tired of using the same trails. Some are short, which leaves the fun of loops or out and backs; and, where I live, some of the trails have some steep-ish hills and mildly dangerous curves. This leaves me with the roads of suburbia as an option. Oh Frabjous Day. 

Choose the right wheel. This is partially because of road conditions. The trails are pretty smooth--but wet leaves and pine needles on them aren't; the roads can be anything from buttery to bumpy as hell. And, when you get a mix of everything, you have to find a happy medium. Suggestion: roller ski wheels if you want slow or hard workouts; 78 durometer polyurethane wheels if you want a faster ride (but go with smaller mm wheels for safety & control). I'll post later in depth about wheel experiences.

Might I add sharpen your ferrule tips? Rumor has it there is some sort of tool out there that does it. I just use the sharpening stone I have for my ice speed skates. Digging into any tarmac is pretty easy. But concrete is another matter--even with sharp tips, lots of luck. So, as sharp as possible is always a good idea.

Ski on the right side of the road (going the same direction of traffic). We are to follow the same laws as inline skaters. Ideally, choose low-traffic roads, and/or roads with a BIG shoulder, if ride the roads you must or do.

Of course, WEAR A HELMET. This applies even if you are on trails. I have seen the carnage of inline skates without one (my dad got to direct the ambulance to the bleeding skull fracture; we never did learn if he regained consciousness...).  Why people think this can't happen on roller skis, I don't know. But I see too many skiers around here without them. And on the road, we have our friends, the cars.

Ah, yes: The Cars. Good music group. Bad machine to play with as a pseudo-pedestrian. Have I mentioned how drivers think they own the road? Or how they are paying SO much attention while texting, talking, drinking coffee, having a conversation, shaving, putting on make up, etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum? They are just looking out for things like cyclists or roller skiers, right?

The etiquette for roller skiing is to double pole (single file in groups) as a car passes you. On a country road, for sure. Around here...I find it best to wait until the car is damn near on your butt. There is something about the out-flinging of a sharp ski tip that encourages cars to give you a wide berth. If they aren't going to voluntarily pay attention, I will find a way to make them pay attention.

Roads aren't the ideal place to ride, but they can be fun, especially if you are more in the country. If you are stuck with the 'Burbs, choose the roads less traveled. And on any road, try to avoid rush-hour traffic. No exercise is worth your life.