I used Rossignol X6SC combi boots, because I had planned on skate skiing everywhere possible. I didn't end up skating at all... I was too tired or the conditions weren't good for it. These boots have an ankle strap for increased ankle stiffness, and they're both lightweight but stout for long days of skiing in a variety of terrain. I didn't want BC boots because I wanted the ability to ski hard without sweating in my boots or getting blisters from wanting too much travel out of stiff boots. I didn't end up using the ankle straps on the boots because my feet hurt and it was one of the things I undid that helped prevent the pain.
Most of the time I used Yoko boot covers. Not because it was cold, but kind of just to cover the boots and keep snow off. This worked until it got really hot out, and then it just made my feet even more wet from sweat. Overall I was really pleased with these covers. I thought they'd fall apart the first day, and they made it to the second to last day before losing one of the underfoot straps.
I used a pair of Swix carbon poles, the same ones I got when I got my skinny ski setup. I've had these poles through everything, and only thought I was gonna break them once. They hold up amazingly well. They're lightweight, I sharpened the tips before the race, and I used Apocalypse Design pogies on them the entire race. A lot of the time the pogies were too warm, but inside the pogie is a strap that I can hold and it makes the pole extremely easy to use. So sometimes I held onto the pole around the outside of the pogie, but for the most part I just had slightly warm hands inside the pogies.
Now for the waxing part.
I like waxed skis because they're so much faster than waxless. Years ago I got my first pair of skis, some long skinny Elan waxless skis. I hated them. I quit skiing and decided it wasn't for me. I borrowed my friend James' waxed Fischer skis, and they were amazing! So a couple years ago when I got back into XC skiing, I bought a waxable ski and learned the ins and outs. It's not that bad.
I decided to use waxed skis for the reason of speed mainly, but also because most if not everyone who does the ITI uses waxless skis and thinks waxable skis will create all sorts of problems around needing wax in places where you can't wax. I like to push back against the crowd.
For glide, I put on a Swix CH4 cold hard wax, and then a Swix CH5 layer on top of that. I was expecting mostly warm temperatures on the trail, but also lower nighttime temperatures. This wax setup lasted a long time for me previously on rugged trail conditions, so I tried it again. For kick, I used Start Base Wax Extra, ironed on, for the kick binder wax. This stuff was still on my ski when I was leaving the Finger Lake checkpoint 120 miles into the race. I didn't check the bottom of my skis too much after this, so I'm not sure when it all wore off. I bet it made it all the way to Rohn though.
I brought two kinds of kick wax, Swix Blue and Swix Polar. Blue was good from 5 degrees to like 25, and Polar is good from minus whatever up to 5 degrees. I figured this was a pretty safe range to cover, and I mainly used Blue. I used Polar on a couple cold mornings, but for the most part Blue worked.
I think the most I waxed in any given day was twice. I think the snow was just right so I got adequate kick without having fresh wax. There were times I didn't put on new wax for a couple of days. I don't question this magic, I just accept it and make sure to make the most of it. Glide was almost always excellent, except for some early mornings or late nights in low areas where the snow was really rough. I only put liquid glide on 3 times I think, before long days where I thought I would want really good glide.
I used a backpack. Every skier except one used a backpack, and that guy used a backpack in a sled, so he could carry it if he wanted to. I planned for a rough pack weight around 30 pounds, and that's what I ended up with. With full water and max food, my pack weighed about 35 pounds. Empty water and not much food it weighed 25 pounds. Both were quite fine to carry, and I never had issues with my pack being too heavy or hard to balance on. I trained a lot with more weight than that in my pack, and it was beneficial.
FAQ's
What was your favorite trail snack?
Of the food I brought, it was the BelVita Peanut Butter sandwich crackers. Those were magical.
Any unexpected challenges?
I guess the only thing that caught me off guard was the ridiculous blisters that I got on the second to last day. I've had blisters before but these were insane, they were showstoppers without addressing them. There's a picture on my main post.
Otherwise things that were a bit beyond my expectations were the trail conditions. They were a bit worse than even my slow estimates on conditions. All this means is that I had to reevaluate my race strategy along the way and still make it realistic but also doable, and shorten some push times to a few hours instead of say, six hours.
How was it with pogies?
I use pogies for almost every long distance trip, which allows me to wear really light gloves and have warm hands. I frost nipped some fingers a few years ago so it's imperative that I keep my fingers warm all the time. My pogies have a strap on the inside that I can loop fingers through, even with mittens in the pogies. Pogies don't allow me to use the fancy race straps that my poles have, but I also can't eat or take pictures or do anything if I use the fancy straps. I reserve those for trails and fun fast skis.
How did you keep your toes warm?
My feet don't get cold when I ski or run in the winter, but I use wool socks. When it gets below about -10F, my feet might start to get cold, but that's what boot covers are for. I think skiing is enough of a full body workout that as long as you're moving actively and making full strides, your entire body gets enough blood flow to extremities.
How were the kicker skins?
I actually only used them for about two miles! I used them for going back over Rainy Pass where the snow was soft and there was a bit of a headwind. The kicker skins I borrowed are a little longer than ideal, so they provide outstanding kick and really sad glide. If they were mine I would cut them close to half their length, which would still provide good kick in slick or steep conditions, but would also allow for good glide.
Feel free to ask more questions in the comments or in person, I'll add them here!
Comments
Post a Comment