Leaves are falling here in Alaska, and nighttime has returned! I can’t complain too much about the nearly constant daylight of Alaskan summers, but I was pretty thrilled to see stars in a dark sky last night.
It feels like ski season is approaching quickly. This blog will define some xc skiing terms so that you can be ready for the season. This won't cover everything but it's everything I can think of at the moment. I hope you learn something!
Nordic skiing or Cross Country Skiing?
You can say either. Cross country skiing is the more official/specific name for the sport, whereas Nordic skiing is more general. Usually I just say “skiing” and hope people assume alpine.
Equipment
Poles
Not sticks, as cool as that would be. They're usually made of carbon fiber, and range in height between coming up to the skier's shoulder or chin.
Boots
There are skate, classic, combi, and pursuit boots.
Skis
If you want to be cool you can refer to them as “boards.” Skate skis, classic skis, fish scales, and skins are common types of xc skis.
Rollerskis/ rollerskiing
The summer version of skiing. A lot of people say “roller things” when they ask about it. It looks a little silly but it’s a great workout and it's hard to avoid if you want to be a great skier in the winter
Wax
Goes on the base of the ski. Glide wax melts on for gliding, kick wax is rubbed on for sticking in classic skiing.
Klister
Very gooey substance for classic skiing in warm, watery snow, or icey snow.
Helmet
of course
Ferrules and Snow baskets
Rollerski tips are called ferrules and they are narrow. Poles have snow baskets in the winter so that they don't go too deep into the snow
Tip sharpener
It's nice to have sharp tips for rollerskiing, because they need to stick in the pavement. (We only rollerski on asphalt, cement doesn't work)
In the picture: rollerskis, boots, poles, helmets, glasses, and bright colors.
Things to wear
Buff
What people call a neckwarmer. They’re usually light and stretchy. Pro skiers don’t wear scarves for the (exact) same reason The Incredibles don’t wear capes.
Base layers
Thin, high quality insulating shirts/pants that go under uniforms or outer layers. Good brands: swix, kari traa, smartwool, craft, bjorn dahlie, etc.
Warmskin/Dermatone
Brands of lotion or salve to protect skin from cold temps and wind
Ski Pants
We wear light weight pants that have a zipper on the side of the leg so that they can go on over a boot, or come off quickly before a race.
High-vis or Bright Colors
High-visibility clothing. We wear neon colors for rollerskiing to avoid getting hit by cars
Uniform or Suit
Stretchy fabric worn in races with team design. Usually a one-piece on the pro level.
Chip
A chip often looks like a velcro ankle bracelet that helps record skiers' times.
Bib
Bib looks like a tanktop that goes over the uniform. Bib has number on it that identifies the racer and helps with results
Gloves
protect hands from blisters in the summer, protect from cold in the winter
Waterbelt or Drink Belt
Holds water, snacks, car keys, extra shirt, phone, etc.
Glasses
protect eyes from road debris, taking a pole to the eye, sunlight, etc.
General winter garments (hats, headbands, mittens, socks, jackets, etc)
The nice stuff is usually lightweight, breathable, and warm
In the picture: skis, boots, poles, headbands, glasses, ski jacket and pants, a water belt, gloves.
Techniques
Skate / Freestyle looks like ice-skating
Classic looks like walking with glide
Double Pole or DP two poles push at the same time to propel the skier forward
Kick Double Pole double pole with a leg kick in between each push
Stride the part of classic skiing that looks like walking with glide, poles move separately (not DP)
V1, V2, V2 alternate (or “open field,” if you’re from Minnesota)
V1 is skating up a steep hill poling on one side, poles and foot land together
V2 is skating on more gradual terrain, poling before each leg push
V2 alternate/open field is for fast flat/downhill terrain, poling before one leg push
(The blog is kind of the wrong place to learn these - see youtube if curious)
Herringbone
Running on skis while making the shape of a V, used to go up a steep hill, no glide
Coaches Skate or “birkie shuffle” if you’re from the Midwest
This is herringbone but with some glide, and not a running motion
Jump Skate
Fast, powerful V1, jumping off each foot
Free skating
Skating without using poles, used to transition out of a downhill or build on high speed
Tuck
Bending over and making your body aerodynamic on the downhill
In the picture: striding in the tracks
Racing
Junior Nationals
The big deal for young skiers. Skiers qualify by region.
NCAA
Collegiate level - The regions are West (RMISA), Central (CCSA), and East (EISA). Some collegiate races overlap with SuperTour races.
SuperTour
The circuit of domestic U.S races where skiers can qualify for the World Cup, World Championship/Olympic teams, win some prize money.
World Cup
A circuit of races throughout the winter (primarily in Europe) where the best from each nation compete for prize money and World Championship/Olympic team spots.
World Championships and Olympics
World Championships happens every 2 years, Winter Olympics happens every 4 years
Individual Start
Skiers start individually every 15 to 30 seconds instead of all at once. It’s kind of a time-trial format, and the results show times and ranking at the end.
Mass Start
All skiers go at once.
Pursuit
Skiers start in their finish order from a previous race. (Ex. if a skier is 2nd by 14 seconds, they will start 2nd in the pursuit race, 14 seconds after the 1st person and chase them down.)
Skiathlon
Race format where skiers switch technique and equipment in the middle. (Ex. A 15km race with 7.5km skating and 7.5km classic with a transition zone)
Sprint heats
Sprint races have a qualification round, and up to 3 heats: quarterfinal, semifinal, final.
Lucky Loser
The top 2 from each sprint heat move on, and the next 2 fastest times. People who advance by time are called Lucky Losers. A bit of a harsh name
Typical race distances are 5km, 10km, 15km, 20km, 30km, 50km. Sprints are 1.4km.
Feed / Feed zone
Some sugar consumption during a race (ex. "taking a feed" by drinking some gatorade during a long race). There is usually a designated area for this at big races
Periods
The race year is divided into (usually) 4 periods. Skiers qualify for big events based on performance during the period, or over several periods. There is not any one qualification event (unlike Olympic trials in track, for example)
In the picture: Skiers lined up for an individual start
In the picture: mass start!
Training terms
Session
A bout of training. (Ex. "I had a good session today" or "I did a 2 hour session")
Warmup/cooldown
The easy parts before and after intervals
Intervals
Bursts of hard exercise typically ranging from 4-15 minutes.
Speeds
Going as fast as possible for 10-45 seconds.
Effort zones: L1, L2, L3, L4, L5
L1 - talking and comfortable
L2 - focused but comfortable
L3 - the line of comfort and discomfort, sustainable for around an hour
L4 - uncomfortable, sustainable for about 25 min
L5 - fast, sustainable for 5min ish, max
Threshold
Another more universal word for L3
Lactate
Lactate is something the body produces during exercise. The body clears it at low effort levels, and it builds up at high efforts. Athletes "take a lactate" or measure the level in their blood by pricking finger and using a measuring device. Lactate levels mean different things for different athletes.
Heart Rate (HR)
Another tool to measure effort. Measured through a chest strap, arm strap, or wrist combined with a watch.
Heart rate variability (HRV)
A tool to gauge recovery status, fitness, fatigue, etc. People usually get this data from Whoop, Oura Ring, or their watch.
Flooding
The very uncomfortable feeling of lactate building up quickly in muscles, can feel nauseating
Flushing
Clearing out lactate build up by easy movement of the muscles - (Ex. walking around after a hard interval instead of laying down)
Shake out
Usually an easy workout to loosen up or make the body feel good. (Ex. A slow, 20 minute jog after a long car ride)
Time trial
Test race or fake race that is used to simulate a real one
OD
Over-distance. Usually a 3+ hour endurance session
Spenst
Exercises or jumps intended to develop ski-specific power, strength, coordination, etc. (Ex. jumping on one foot up a hill)
Specific Strength
Drills (done usually on rollerskis or skis) that develop ski-specific strength. These drills usually involve going up a hill using only arms, only legs, or isolating a muscle group.
Bounding
Running with poles with a little extra "air time" between each step. Focus is on building strength and mimicking classic striding. Usually bounding happens up a hill
Fartlek
"Speed play" or doing a set of speeds with different lengths. (Ex. 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, repeat)
Overspeed
Practicing coordination and technique on a slight downhill, or fast moving section of trail
Double
Doing 2 sessions of training in a day
Off day
A day with no formal or structured training.
Active Recovery
Recovery with movement. (Ex. Going for a walk on an off day instead of laying on couch all day, to enhance recovery
In the picture: cooling down from an L3 bounding session
Snow and Trail Conditions
Groomed: A trail that has been driven over by a grooming vehicle to pack down the snow
Pistenbully: The snow grooming machine name (a brand)
Tracks: Two indents in the snow for classic skiing. Helps skis stay straight
Corduroy: The texture descriptor of fresh, nicely groomed snow.
Crust: when the top layer of snow melts a little and re-freezes enough so that nothing punches through. kind of elusive, usually appearing in the early morning, usually in the spring, fun for skiing in big open spaces.
Mashed potatoes: Texture of snow that is not firmly packed and is warm, usually difficult to ski through
Sugar: The texture of artificial snow when it melts and refreezes into little balls, can be difficult to ski through and deep
Powder: Light, new snow, usually fun to ski through. Less fun to race through, if it’s deep
Icey: When it rains and then freezes, or when a lot of skiers plow over the same spot or turn
Grabby: Usually from new snow, when it sticks to the bottom of your ski and prevents glide
Punchy: When your poles break through the surface and go too far down into the snow. Not fun
Squeaky: An indicator of very cold, probably slow, snow
In the picture: DIY classic tracks on the far left, skier punching through attempting to skate on the right. If the skier had stayed on top of this snow, it would mean there was crust, and it would be fun
Other
Boot throw / lunge
little lunge at the end of a race to get across the line faster. The boot crossing the line ends the race. Unlike track, for example, where the torso is what matters.
Bonk
when you run completely out of energy due to lack of fuel.
Fluorocarbons (fluoros)
recently banned chemical in wax that makes skis move fast
Technique zone
a place in a classic race where double poling is not allowed
In the picture: boot throw
Thanks for checking in!
-Renae
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