So I've been out at Big Creek XC skiing the past two days. This weekend I strapped on the heart rate monitor to see if it is as good of a workout as advertised. From last weekend, my trapezoids and back were sore from the poling and I had found some odd/unknown muscles in my legs.
I arrived on Saturday near 9pm and the Zoom Performance guys and Marco were just finishing up. The temps were warming up and the sun was showing it's face. I new that my opportunity for good snow was diminishing. To make things better, the groomer was just finishing up (thanks Kevin?).

I did one warm-up lap that included all of the little side trails out and back. 31min of a good workout (later found out 157avg heart rate). I shed some clothes and took off to beat my previous time. I stopped once or twice for a short conversation with others, but mostly kept ma decent pace. I finished 29min later with a 164avg. Somewhere on these two laps I hit a 177max, so I guess that I now have evidence that XC skiing is indeed a good workout.

I set my alarm for 6am on Sunday as the overnight temps were staying too warm. After a quick Starbucks stop, I headed back to Big Creek. I started at 7:15 and the temp was showing 34degrees from my car. I was hoping that the fog would keep the snow in good shape and just as I was ready to start I heard Kevin (?) come by on his snowmobile/grooming. Again I did a short warm-up and two laps. My body (especially my ankle and foot muscles) was feeling the effort from Saturday. The first lap was 31min again, but the heart avg dropped to 150. I went hard on the second lap to set a mark to shoot for in the future. 27:32 @ 162. I'd bet that the nicely groomed trail helped, plus my form is coming along better.

I do get MLK day off for the first time, so I plan on heading back up to get another day on skis. I definitely can see how the leg muscles are getting a great workout. I'm impressed with how much of a heart workout it is.

Skinny Skiing or Biking This Weekend

Temps are supposed to be above freezing so that means that I will have to ski in the morning. However. the warmth and melting would provide for a chance to scout the local paved trails to see if I could commute downtown next week. Either way, I have a three day weekend and plan on working out all three days.

Maybe ski in the morning and bike in the afternoon?

Vacation Ski Pics/Movies on Flickr

A good selection of ski pics with the family and kids are on Flickr. Two movies as well. Here is one of them from Snowbowl. The run was down Paradise.

Lots of Snow, Lots of Skiing/Workouts

The big storm this past week dropped about 6" of snow on our neighborhood. Then the winds lasted for about 24hrs. Apparently, up to 40mph, so lots of drifting. The only way to approach all of this snow is to treat it like a workout. Lots of hand shoveling (as my snow blower is too small and weak). 10 shovel tosses to the left and 10 to the right. Good back and ab/oblique muscle workout.
Today's effort was 45min to go through 3ft drifts for about 150 feet. Then another workout to try and widen the entrance to the driveway. Final cleanup with the blower. Although it was around 5 degrees out this morning, I was working up a good sweat.
The entrance to the driveway has been getting narrower and narrower. I think that the pile on the right is over 6ft tall. Once it settles, the kids have been talking about creating an igloo inside of it.
After lunch, I wasted a good hour on the PC and then a tweet from Guitar Ted describing his XC ski got me off the couch. Skiing sounded much more fun than riding the trainer in the basement. It has been a good 10yrs since I last put on the skinny skis. I forgot how much technique is involved. My knees and angles felt weak and wobbly, but I had a blast. I quite after 45min to save my body for tomorrow.

The late afternoon at Big Creek Park. Lots of ice fishing going on, a few snowmobiles and about 6 XC skiers.

End of Vacation

This pic of the girls from the warming hut at the top of Snowbowl will have to suffice until we get home and I can upload some pics and video.
We had a great vacation. I had three hard ski days and two others with the girls. They improved greatly in those two days. The did were tackling solid blue runs by the end of the 2nd day.
Not too sure about headed home to the minus degree temps, but the fun has to end sometime.