Featured ski - Nine Mile 10k loop

Nine Mile County Forest has trails for all ability levels. I’ve already shared about the Cookie Trail for children and 6k loop in prior blog posts. The 6k loop the 10k loop, and 20k loop all finish the last 3.5k on the same trails. You can get a few more details by reading the post on the 6k loop.

Feeling fast

I couldn’t help but pause to take in the beautiful sunshine on the fresh corduroy.

Heading out on “Main Street” from the chalet, I was blessed with great classic tracks -hard and glazed over. The sun was peaking out, which is especially treasured on the short days during winter. I had to get a few pictures of the awesome fresh groomed corduroy.

I always like departing from the chalet feeling fast with the slight downhill. Today, I am all alone on the 30 m wide trail which is a stark contrast to the scramble at race starts that take place here. I round the first corner stopping for another picture then continue on with the trail to myself. I hit the downhill on Main Street and just smile as I get in a tuck. My skis accelerate that I almost lose my balance - a nice problem to have!

The 10k loop starts out on the Cookie Trail.

The 10k begins on one of the two lit loops (the 6k begins on the other lit loop) which also serves as the Cookie Trail for children. I glide up and down a few opening hills and hit my first hard corner 2.5k in, immediately after splitting from the Cookie Trail. I usually step out of the track going into the corner, but today I remember far too late. I’m committed to staying in the tracks and lean as hard as I can to the inside ready with nimble feet in case my foot flies out. I manage to stay in and give a sign of relief.

Double pole conundrum

Unfortunately, I didn’t nail the wax (although conditions were great). On the first significant uphill, I accept that this ski won’t be as good as it could be unless I stop to change kick wax. Then I remember I really should do double pole only anyway. I typically try to do double pole only for 20-30 minutes to work on my strength (something I have been skipping more often than not over the past few years). So everything was lined up that I may as well do double poling. Only one problem - that would require me to double up both B1 and B2 - something I hadn’t even done when I was in race shape. I think about this scenario it as I glide down a fun downhill. I especially like this downhill because although it has close to a 90 degree turn, it is wide enough I rarely need to step out. After the last turn, this one is a piece of cake today. I take a look at my watch and start doubling poling.

I made it to the top of B2 double poling - a first!

You won’t see the names of B1 and B2 hills on any maps, this is just the name skiers have affectionately given the long uphills (ask any local for the true name). Back in my race days, I used to do repeats up the back to back hills which would take 4-5 minutes depending on snow conditions. Today it would take much longer (and not due to the snow conditions!).

As I climbed, I noted the conditions were great, but not exceptionally fast, which would prove to test my strength. My quads were the first to feel the burn. On the plus side, that means I’m not doing arms only (which is a tendency of many skiers that don’t double pole correctly). Skiers are instructed to engage our whole core. Although I don’t consider my quads my core, I do recall reading a journal article in college about skiers using a lot of quads while double poling. However, this is not a good sign for my running races I have on the calendar for 2020 - including a 100k with 16,500 feet of downhill (and uphill)!

At least all this to think about in my head gets me up to the top of B1. I gasp for rest and do a slouch rather than a tuck because I know I only have a few precious seconds to recover until doing it all over again up B2. I pace myself since I know the worst is about 2/3 of the way up. At this point I’m no longer gliding between pole plants - but at least I’m not sliding backwards. B2 eases up and I make sure to keep going all the way to the top before I stop to snap some pictures. (I want to make sure I can say I double poled all the way up without a break!) I get a couple pictures of the shelter at the top complete with a fire pit and firewood, where my high school friends had end-of-the-year ski season parties. One year we left the buns and needless to say the burgers were pretty well done before our fastest skier was able to go all the way back to the chalet and back to retrieve them.

Now time for the downhill!

I am really excited for the downhill today. Not only is it a good break, but this is another one of my favorite hills at Nine Mile. With today’s solid tracks I should be able to get in a nice tuck and enjoy the ride all the way down. I fly down catching a glimpse of the 5k to go mark - so halfway done! I take a video of the downhill and when I rewatch it everything is flying by so fast it looks like it’s in fast forward. Pretty cool to think that’s how fast I go. I’m able to glide into the following hill, which is especially nice since I’m only doing double poling yet. (I don’t realize how big this hill really is though until conditions are especially slow and I have to ski almost all the way from the bottom to the top.)

The snow was flying as I double poled and started accumulating on my boots.

The next downhill has a sharp right turn that I still question why it’s ever tracked. I step out and smoothly glide around the corner. Next I have a long gradual uphill section. I think about cutting the loop short but then I opt not to because that uphill is much steeper and I probably won’t make it double poling up. So I continue on hitting 4k to go at the next shelter. That means almost a whole 1k of gradual uphill yet…but I will be rewarded with an equally long downhill, at least. I see the top and count down the number of pole strokes before I can go downhill 10, 9, 8… and I’m already feeling each pole stroke get easier. My form is getting sloppy as I’m bending so deep that snow is hitting my face as I pole plant - apparently I need to do more double poling.

Merging with the 6k and 20k loops

I pass the T intersection where the 10k, 6k, and 20k loops all join together. I’m not even tempted by the next cutoff since this is my favorite stretch of the 6k loop. I zoom by and continue around a little bend a friend used to always freak out at. I never even noticed the bend before skiing with her - I suppose there’s a tree near the trail that makes the bend look worse than it is?? Anyhow, I can never go around this tree anymore without thinking of her freaking out.

I hit a little uphill and look at my watch hoping I’ve hit my target of 30 minutes of double poling - shoot, I’m only at 21 minutes, that means I have to double pole the rest of the way. I grind up the hill then I remember I forgot about the next one which is worse. So I repeat. I continue on 2k to go. I stop to snap a photo since I think it’ll be a little amusing with my lobster mitts on to show two fingers…it’s the little thing in life that make us smile, isn’t it!?!

The tracks were perfect - allowing me to stay in the tracks even around turns.

I keep on trucking and as I hit the 1k to go mark, I catch myself giving up a little “whoopie”. This time I consciously opted to stay in the tracks on some sharper corners I usually opt to step out of (to avoid slingshotting out of unintentionally). I hear the edges of my skis grinding the edge of the tracks and a vision from a movie when a train car rattles until is unhooks from another car flashes in my head. I manage to stay in the tracks thanks to the great tracks today. I start on the last slight downhill through the pines on my way into the finish line.

I smile as I can feel so speedy and remember this is why I love classic-ing so much (on the flip side I always feel like I’m on the brink of out of control while skating this same stretch). I see the home stretch and hesitate on picking my lane. I have three tracks to choose from - much like racers have to choose to make a final pass before the finish line. I get a surge of adrenaline and get up on my toes sprinting to the finish. I start to get tired and then remember for the winter triathlon, racers won’t be sprinting, they’ll be gathering their thoughts for the transition - so I decide I’d rather take that approach the rest of the way in as I get another great ski in the books.