“Koivunen was a Finnish soldier, assigned to a ski patrol on 20 April 1944, along with several other Finnish soldiers. Three days into their mission, on 18 March, the group was attacked and surrounded by Soviet forces, from which they managed to escape. Koivunen became fatigued after skiing for a long distance, but could not stop. He was also the sole carrier of army-issued Pervitin, or methamphetamine, a stimulant used to remain awake while on duty. He took them all and had a short burst of energy, but then entered into a state of delirium, and lost consciousness. Koivunen remembered waking u ..read more

Pacing Workout Basics A pacing workout is a simple concept where you set a fixed distance and they try to ski or pace that distance using different approaches each time.  For example, you may pick a 2.5km loop and do it 4 times with 3-5 minutes break in between efforts.  You may try one starting fast and trying to hold the speed.  You may try the next one slowly and try to build your speed.  The idea is that you can learn to ski a 10km race better by trying out different speeds and efforts in 2.5km increments without having to duplicate the full 10km experience.    ..read more

With global warming, milder winter days are more common and so is winter rain.  While we are not lovers of skiing in the rain you can still have a wonderful ski in the rain if you are prepared.   Make sure you have all your gear as prepared as possible so you can jump out of your car put on your boots and skis and get moving as quickly as you can.  A quick transition from the car to skiing will make a world of difference.  Once you get cold it can be exceedingly difficult to warm up again while skiing in the rain.  If you do need a bit of time to make the transiti ..read more

We often get asked out on the trails how to have a successful and fun skiing adventure with your littlest skiers.  So here are a few quick tips to get them to do some basic ski techniques.  Remember at this age it’s about exploring, failing, and trying again so just go with the flow! The Turtle When they fall and are tangled up, tell them to turtle.  Which in simple terms is get on their back and lift their skis up in the air. They may need to take their poles off if they are new to using them.  Then when everything is untangled simply tell them to roll to their side and ge ..read more

There are many things you can do to have a better ski marathon or loppet time and to make the loppet experience more enjoyable.  Obviously training and time on skis are the most important but we will give you some non-training things you can do. Nutrition One of the top reasons for having a bad loppet day is nutrition.  You need to start fueling the day before and make sure you have a good evening before a meal and a good breakfast.  The caveat is that you need to get use to the pre-race meals in advance.  In the weeks before your event you should eat the same breakfast you ..read more

For many people, the hardest part of learning a new ski technique is the timing and rhythms of the technique.  While these are not perfect rhythms for the advanced skier, thinking of them when you are learning a new technique or having difficulty getting the timing can be extremely helpful.  All you need to do is say these to yourself or aloud when you are working on improving your technique.   Think of it as ballroom dancing meets Nordic skiing. One Skate (v2) has a simple even beat.  Pole, Skate, Pole, Skate… where you say the word pole your pole hits the snow and wh ..read more

Coaches and skiers are famous for trying to make waxing complicated.  Well, it does not have to be, especially if you are not trying to win the national championships!  So here is our 1-minute guide to nordic ski waxing that should be good enough for most skiers.  There are mode advanced products and methods but the return on cost and time are not worth it for most skiers.  The newer simpler waxing products are great and not they are also less damaging to the natural environment. Skate Skis and Waxless Skis (with fish-scales or another similar pattern) Get some rub on or sp ..read more

Gloves seem to be one of the biggest questions new skiers have when it comes to clothing.  Keeping your hands warm and dry without overheating is the key to staying comfortable.   To do that we recommend you get a pair of cross-country ski gloves.  A good mid-weight pair is usually the best place to start, and an excellent quality pair can cost $60+ but it is always worth it if you ski a lot. Basic Everyday Ski Glove In an everyday ski glove, we look for a leather or reinforced palm to ensure that they have some durability.  We also look at the top of the glove for a s ..read more

How to watch cross country ski racing on TV With the Olympics comes increased tv viewership for cross country skiing.  When you are new to watching cross country skiing you may not notice some of the different strategies and tactics that are at play with the different teams and athletes. Drafting The first key thing to know about is drafting.  Drafting on skis is very similar to cycling or car racing except it has slightly less of an effect due to the slower speeds. It is slightly easier to ski behind another skier and have them block the wind.  When skiers are in the classic tr ..read more

“Koivunen was a Finnish soldier, assigned to a ski patrol on 20 April 1944, along with several other Finnish soldiers. Three days into their mission, on 18 March, the group was attacked and surrounded by Soviet forces, from which they managed to escape. Koivunen became fatigued after skiing for a long distance, but could not stop. He was also the sole carrier of army-issued Pervitin, or methamphetamine, a stimulant used to remain awake while on duty. He took them all and had a short burst of energy, but then entered into a state of delirium, and lost consciousness. Koivunen remembered waking u ..read more