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| Our new cross country skis were put to use! |
I’ve been trying to find the optimal cross training exercise that will best mimic running while I do my strength training to prepare me to run again. It’s unclear to me how much benefit I can get out of the elliptical. Most guidance says you can’t train for running without actually running, although I did find one coach who claims he helped an athlete through an injury to a successful half marathon with elliptical training. For me, one of the biggest challenges is that I can’t get my heart rate up for any level of meaningful cardio on the elliptical. Perhaps the best cross training exercise I’ve found is cross country skiing.
Thankfully, we had some snow in the northeast this year and so storms named Nemo and Saturn became my friends! Mike and I found a new love in this sport over the Christmas and New Years holiday break when we got our first real snow. We headed to Winding Trails which as far as I can determine is the only cross country ski location in CT with ski rentals. As it turned out, they had a sale of new equipment at 70% percent off, so we bought each other our Christmas presents on the spot. Now that we’ve had the chance to ski seven times this season, it was the best purchase ever! Here’s the venues we explored:
Winding Trails ( http://www.windingtrails.org/ ) in Farmington, CT has 20K of trails, all groomed and tracked for different levels of ability. The small, cozy, and casual ski center has rentals, a small equipment store, and serves lunch. There are also a sledding hill, skating, and trails for hiking and snow shoeing. We discovered this spot a couple years ago when we got the urge to cross country ski after a winter storm. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find any local ski shops that rent skis so this became our only option then when we didn’t have skis. After discovering this great park and organization, I also learned they have many casual triathlon events in the summer although I haven’t participated in any. They also sponsor an annual 5K cross country ski race – an event I may just have to put on the list. Trail passes are $14 ($2 off after 2pm) and rentals are $17 / day.
Mianus River Park in Stamford and Greenwich CT is a 220 acre park that is loved by dog walkers, hikers, mountain bikers and runners but can be a great free and very local spot to cross country ski. The biggest challenge is finding the parking areas (here is a link to the map http://www.mianusriver.org/images/mrptrailmap.pdf ) and insuring you don’t get lost! We tried the park for cross country skiing at the tail end of reasonable snow conditions. It was passable and we were just excited to get out and enjoy our new skis.
Fahnestock Winter Park ( http://www.roberts-1.com/fwp/ ) is a newly discovered in-my-backyard cross country ski venue in Carmel, NY that also has a small ski center with rentals and food. They groom and track their trails. It’s even accessible by Metro NY / Taxi for NYC dwellers. Part of the 16,000 acre Clarence Fahnestock Memorial Park, they have 15K of trails for all levels, which become more expansive when the lake is frozen over. Being at an elevation of 1,100 feet, they sometimes get more snow than other areas. There are also a sledding hill and trails for hiking and snow shoeing. Trail fees are $9 per person and rentals are $16 / day.
If you are headed to Vermont, Ole’s Cross Country Center in Warren, VT ( http://olesxc.com/ ) has snowshoe and 45K of cross country trails, half in open fields and half in the forest. It’s actually located at the Warren-Sugarbush airport that is closed in the winter and so the runways provide a winter wonderland! Trail pass is $16 ($3 off after 1:00pm) and rentals are $18 ($3 off after 1:00pm).
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| Ward Pound Ridge is awesome, close and inexpensive! |
And, finally, we had to top off the season at the #1 Nordic Ski Resort in North Amerca (chosen by voters in Cross Country Skier magazine) at Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Montana (http://www.lonemountainranch.com/winter-things-to-do/nordic-skiing/ ). We were truly spoiled by the very professionally groomed and tracked trail system, which encompasses 2200 vertical feet from the top of the Summit to the Meadow trails (we didn't make it to top of the summit). You can rente skis by the day or the week and take lessons from their staff. It is a working ranch with year round accommodations if you choose to stay there. Or, if you stay in one of the condos in the heart of Big Sky Village, you can just ski right out your door onto their trails. And don't worry, their website says, "Bears Hibernate. People Ski."
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| Lone Mountain in Big Sky, MT: The #1 Nordic Ski Resort in North America |
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