tell me about it. looks like i'll be watching the game from the trainer tonight. It's pouring. That, and I'm soft.

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Josef
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blog

We in the mid west are faced with the same horrid conditions. 50+ and rain in the middle of January! What is the world coming to?

Ah, if you get the same stuff we do here, it should all be frozen by about 3:00 this afternoon. Then the fun begins:(

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Scott McNamee
Cranks Bicycle Shoppe

Cold as hell here (FL)..................its 54, windy and sunny....I ain't riding when its under 60. I'll watch TV today!!

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Paul

60 degrees in Denver, dry as a bone - and deep snow up in the mountains. Couldn't be better.. sorry ;-)

skiing tomorrow, most likely dragging a sled with the 4-yr-old in it, for a bit of resistance work..

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"It is a good feeling for old men who have begun to fear failure, any sort of failure, to set a schedule for exercise and stick to it. If an aging man can run a distance of three miles, for instance, he knows that whatever his other failures may be, he is not completely wasted away." Romain Gary, SI interview

i threatened my wife with a move to Crested Butte today!



Kurt...in Maine where the freeze is about to hit!

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http://www.pbmcoaching.com
USA Triathlon Level 3 Elite Coach
USA Cycling Level 1 Elite Coach

No lack of cold there. ;)

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Don't hold back

It's always right around freezing and wet here in Seattle in the winter, but unlike last year there's no shortage of snow in the Cascades. Mt. Baker got almost 8 feet in 5 days, and big dumps at Stevens and Snoqualmie Passes. We've got a 30K classic race on 1/15 and conditions are expected to be excellent (if you have the right klister, that is).

Tell me about it. Over here, we went into a week long meltdown and now as the minus 20 cold front comes in, everything is turning into a skating rink. I was out coaching kids this afternoon just as the 55 kph wind gusts came in. Kurt, in any event, I have not done a ski workout since Tuesday, and I actually had to take 2 full days off training due to a cold that is going around the office. Either way, I don't think you have to worry about me on skis. I can plug along for long periods of time, but I don't have the high end coordination of an expert skier to go at Mach 2 for 50K. I suspect I will be well off your pace at LP next Saturday (if they have the race at all). Hopefully LP will get a dump, or it will be rock skis.

This morning I did a 80 min bike - 40 treadmill brick workout. I guess St. Croix is only 3.5 months away (yikes...)

Dev

Dev,

Placid looks sketchy for sure! Call my mobile and I can give a report Thursday night (I will PM you the number)

Chris,

I heard the PNW was good this year. I love klister skiing! I have an awesome pair of the new Madshus klister skis. They close right at 52-53% of body weight, but have a high camber so they are rocket fast! Good luck tomorrow..hope you got your DP a game on!

Kurt

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http://www.pbmcoaching.com
USA Triathlon Level 3 Elite Coach
USA Cycling Level 1 Elite Coach

Kurt, pretty sketchy conditions for sure at LP this morning:

The Verizon Sports Complex
Nordic Ski Report

January 14, 2006 @ 8:00 AM

Weather Current Weather - Rain Current Temperature -

48 F Forecast - Rain changing to snow late Expected High Temperature - 48 F NEW SNOW - 0" KM OPEN -

10km Snow Conditions Average Base Depth- 3-5" Off-track Snow Depth- 5-7" Primary Surface - Wet Granular Secondary Surface - N/A Snowmaking in Progress- No





and here is the next 12 hours:



Sat, January 14 Time Condition Feels
Like Chance
Precip Dew
Point Humid. Wind 9pm Snow / Wind
-6°C -16°C 70% -9°C 77% From NNW 40 km/h 10pm Snow / Wind
-6°C -16°C 80% -9°C 73% From NNW 45 km/h 11pm Snow / Wind
-6°C -16°C 70% -11°C 69% From NNW 47 km/h Sun, January 15 Have a pet? Check your PetCast! 12am Snow / Wind
-7°C -18°C 70% -12°C 65% From NNW 47 km/h 1am Snow / Wind
-8°C -19°C 60% -13°C 62% From NNW 48 km/h 2am Snow / Wind
-9°C -19°C 60% -14°C 58% From NNW 47 km/h 3am Snow Shower / Wind
-10°C -21°C 50% -15°C 61% From NNW 43 km/h 4am Snow Shower / Wind
-10°C -21°C 40% -16°C 58% From NNW 42 km/h 5am Snow Shower / Wind
-11°C -22°C 50% -17°C 58% From NNW 43 km/h 6am Snow Shower / Wind
-12°C -23°C 50% -18°C 54% From NW 45 km/h Morning Commute Weather on Your Drive 7am Snow Shower / Wind
-13°C -24°C 50% -19°C 54% From NNW 45 km/h Sunrise 7:29 am Business Travel Forecast 8am Snow Shower / Wind
-13°C -25°C 50% -19°C 54% From NNW 43 km/h

What did I tell you Dev. You all can blame me. I drop some $$ on new xc skis and bam! I did my Sat morning run in 50 degrees F weather and shorts.

...you should have bought the powertap instead of the skis !!!

Kurt,

Looks like they got 4" yesterday and all 50K of trails are open. Based on the forecast, we should be good to go. With the cold temps, the new snow will also have a chance to harden and firm up before it warms up again. Should be good.

Dev

i hope. they say a bit of new on Friday too. not very cold on race day though (+1C)

Kurt

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http://www.pbmcoaching.com
USA Triathlon Level 3 Elite Coach
USA Cycling Level 1 Elite Coach

Kurt, over here, the slush all froze over. I was able to go for a 90 min skate ski on the golf course. It was a hard icy crust, just enough to bite into, but I had to be light on my feet or break through. Better than nothing. It was minus 20 with 40 kph wind. Glad it will be warm on race day. I really don't like racing in this super cold stuff, although minus 10 is optimal for a long race. Around zero, it will get quite hot (ie, be aware of cramps in final 10k due to all that sweating). Definitely want to salt up the day before.

Dev

Kurt,
I had the perfect skis for today's 30K, but didn't use klister. It was right around 32 degrees with new falling snow so I used my Atomic classics with the new cork and rubber grip zone. Worked perfectly - neither soft hard wax nor klister appeared to be working very well, as I caught and passed people stopped at the top of hlls to knock off snow on iced-up skis.

All our ski buddies in New England are sad and depressed. I feel so bad for the whole group. It just seems to repeat itself every year. They all work so hard on grooming and preparation just to be wiped out either by wind, rain, cold or ALL 3! You Yanks are a tough bunch!

I will be forced to return to such conditions in 2 years and I'm depressed already!

ah yes, the "zero" ski. Those think must be key for the PNW. I have a pair of the Fischer version. Have not used them yet.

Kurt

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http://www.pbmcoaching.com
USA Triathlon Level 3 Elite Coach
USA Cycling Level 1 Elite Coach

Kurt, what are the Fischer Version. I actually broke down and bought a pair of waxless for no other reason than when I need to teach kids so that I can demo stuff without slipping all over the place and without having to do klister.

Chris, congrats, sounds like you had a good race.

Any one coming up to Ottawa for the Keski 50K in a month?

Things are a quite good in Canmore - all the work they did prepping the World Cup course has left a good base (man made) which seems to be holding up to the warm weather. The natural snow loops are getting in shape, but it is still pretty thin. Did a 10km classic on Saturday on some of the WC trails. Track was amazing, skis were rockets, body was not quite up to the task.