NORDIC SKIING Scott Smith Yellowstone National Park
Cross Country Skiing What can active outdoor people do in the winter? Running, biking, are OK but crosscountry, or Nordic skiing is the best choice. I hear: It s too much work. It s too cold! Isn t it expensive? I don t know how to wax. All silly excuses for missing an incredible sport. For a given level of effort, running is harder than skiing because of the free ride you get with the glide. Recreational skiers go at an easier pace and just enjoy the experience. If you want to be cold while skiing, you have to go downhill, or Alpine skiing. I ve never been as cold as when I sat on a chairlift and was lifted up into the piercing wind coming over the top of the mountain. There s nowhere to go! In Nordic skiing there are usually trees to break the wind. You have to be more concerned about getting too warm. But that s not a problem if you wear the proper clothing. You can try Nordic skiing by renting complete equipment for $10 at Arrowhead Golf Course on Butterfield (west of Naperville Rd.) in Wheaton. If you decide to buy equipment, you can get recreational boots, skis with bindings, and poles for $200-$300. In the same vein, waxing can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. Clothing Cotton is rotten (in wintertime). It holds moisture and you ll get cold. Leave you blue jeans at home and go out to a good sports store. You need this type of clothing for any active sport you do in the winter. You probably already own all you ll need if you have been out biking or running after September. Improvements have been terrific in the past 15 years. The new fabrics wick moisture away from your body and into the next layer that is made of a material that will continue the process. Polypropylene is the generic type of material but you will see many brand names such as Capilene or Coolmax which are variations, all of which perform well. Caution: After you wash these garments, let them dry in air (they dry quickly). If you must use a dryer, never use any softener because it will clog the pores and negate the wicking ability of the material. Goretex is a well-known material for outer garments which, I think, has some problems getting rid of the moisture. You can end up with a layer of frost on the inside of the material. In the bad old days wool performed the wicking function but can t hold a candle to the newer fabrics. You hear people talk about layering. This has several advantages. If you get too warm, you can take off a layer or two. The air trapped between the layers provides an insulating function, keeping in the warmth. I rarely use more than three layers. When it s 15-25 degrees and not too breezy I use a good long sleeve undershirt and a thicker top layer. If it s much colder or windy, I put on a vest or jacket. Fleece is a great material that keeps you warm on
the coldest days. For guys, a pair of insulated, windproof underwear can avoid a very painful experience on cold, windy days. A loose pair of wind pants or lycra tights are the best performers for the lower extremities. On colder days long underwear made of the same materials, in addition to the insulated briefs mentioned above, are used. Gloves, socks, hats all of man-made materials are available. Equipment Skis, bindings, boots and poles. Waxing equipment if you ski more than twice a season. How do classical skis work? They have camber, which refers to curvature over the length of the ski. When you stand on the skis, this curvature lifts you off the snow. By putting all your weight on one leg you compress the camber out of the middle of one ski leaving it flat but still without pressure on the snow. So on either one or two feet you will glide across the snow having only the front and back of the ski (tip and tail) in solid contact with the snow. To bring the middle of the ski in contact with the snow you have to dynamically push straight down onto your ski. The middle of the ski is different from the tip and tail in that it is prepared, not for gliding, but to grab or grip the snow. This allows you to exert a force and propel yourself forward. Occasionally snow conditions are such that the grip is less than ideal and the skier appreciates the importance of this feature. So called waxless skis have a pattern cut into or raised above the base under the binding. When this pattern is pressed into the snow, the ski holds onto the snow while the skier s forward motion converts this downward force into a backward push (the kick), and because the grip is retained, the skier is propelled forward (the glide). It s important that the ski match the skier s ability and weight. With too much camber, the skis will slip on the kick. Too little and the skis will drag instead of glide. Properly sized skis will allow a piece of paper to slide under a ski on a hard, smooth floor with even weight on two skis while the paper will stick when weight is all on one ski. Rental skis are always waxless. There is another type of cross-country skiing that began in the 1980 s called skate skiing or freestyle. It looks and feels like ice or roller skating or roller blading. It is faster than classical skiing, uses different equipment and requires a little more energy. Being faster, it is the most popular style with racers. Some choose to start with this style, especially the younger skiers but almost everyone begins with classical. Bindings are screwed into the skis to provide an attachment mechanism for the boots. There are a few different styles, some older, and of course the boots and bindings
must be compatible. The two in vogue at this time are the Solomon SNS (Solomon Nordic System) and the NNN (New Nordic Norm). There are step in bindings (called automatic ) which run about $35 and manual bindings which are $50-65. Poles length is determined as follows: place the ski tip on the ground and the top of the handle should fall between the armpit and the top of the shoulder. At 6 feet tall, I use 155 cm. length poles. Women generally would use 135-140 cm. Cost for adequate poles is $15. For lightweight racing poles you can pay more than $200. Ski boots have come a long way in the past decade. They are comfortable, warm, light, and expensive. Expect to pay $70-$140 for entry-level boots and $200 up to $350 for upper level and racing boots. The Experience Cross-country skiing gives me a feeling like no other sport. It seems to me to be attuned to the human physiology in a unique way. Ice skating and rollerblading have some similarities, especially to ski-skating. You glide past a beautiful white wonderland (see cover) whether in the woods or out in a meadow. Snow covers all ugliness with a pure blanket of white. It s not the gray slush that accumulates in the streets. So many people learn to hate winter because of the cold and inconvenience. Their Cabin Fever is self imposed. When you are a skier, you come to look forward to January and February. It becomes one of the best time of year. I was a downhill skier for 15 years and frequently found myself out on the edges of the area looking for trails through the woods, exploring. If you have the inclination to see what s around the next corner or over the hill then you are made for this sport. It s hiking in winter. Kick and glide, it s almost effortless to fly down trails of white, climb up an incline, crest and then zoooooom, down and around a corner. I just can t express the joy I feel. Get out there and love it like I do! Some 25 years ago, a few friends of mine dragged me out to go XC skiing. Since then, my life has changed. I used to curse the cold and the winter, and now I embrace them, anxiously watching every weather report to see if snow will be falling anywhere within driving distance. So I can guarantee you one thing; once you're hooked, winter will never be the same. Lee Borowski, (One of the top ski instructors in the U.S.)
Benefits of Nordic Skiing Walking is great exercise any time, any where, but if you want the ultimate workout, you'll have to don a pair of cross-country skis and hit the ski trail this winter. Cross-country skiing is a low-impact, total body workout from head to toe. Some of the fittest athletes ever measured were cross-country skiers. Take inspiration from their example but know you don't have to be an Olympic-caliber athlete to benefit from the cardiovascular workout that comes from sliding along a snow-covered Ski Trail. Whatever your fitness level, cross-country skiing is a beneficial workout and one that can increase your overall fitness while reducing your stress level, improving your mood, and increasing your self-esteem. "Though exercise has long been known for being beneficial to one's mental health, it is still an underrated and underutilized 'therapy' for those of us who are in pursuit of that elusive quality of feeling good," said Dr. James Lean, boardcertified psychiatrist in private practice in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. "The numerous benefits to our physical health from modest workouts three or more times weekly have been reported widely and are well accepted throughout the medical community. From lowering blood pressure to lengthening one's life span, regular exercise has been implicated." "Perhaps less well known, however, are the mental health benefits that regular exercise can bring about. Those who exercise regularly have likely felt the exhilarating surge of mood and energy that repetitive motion activities seem to bring." begins about 15 to 20 minutes into an exercise session and peaks after about 45 minutes. Repetitious movements, such as walking, skiing, swimming and aerobics also increase levels of serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter. Low levels of serotonin are strongly linked to depression, anxiety and aggressive behavior. "Regular repetitious exercise may act much like an antidepressant drug, enhancing serotonin and bringing about a sense of well-being," Dr. Lean said. "Like the drug, however, exercise must be taken regularly to maintain its effect." A randomized, controlled Duke University study in 2000 showed that exercise worked as well as Zoloff, an antidepressant, to reduce depression after 16 weeks. After eight months, however, those who had learned to "exercise their depression away" had significantly less risk of relapse than those who had previously been on medication. "There is now considerable evidence that regular exercise is a viable, cost-effective but underused treatment for mild to moderate depression that compares favorably to individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, and cognitive therapy," state Tkachuk and Martin in a June 1999 literature review published in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. Exercise is also known to enhance sleep and reduce fatigue. A good workout leaves muscles relaxed and spirit energized. Stress is less likely to bother us. At bedtime we fall asleep more quickly, sleep more soundly and tend to feel better rested in the morning. We likely will feel less fatigued the next day. Intense exercise stimulates the brain to release hormones called endorphins, normally for suppressing sensations of pain and producing a sense of well-being. Endorphin production usually