Alex wrote:
Hi Joseph,

This is an interesting thread.

On the subject of whether you are too big to ski well, I thought you
might be interested in the following anecdote:

In the mid-1980s, I did the Hollmenkollmarsj. For those that don't
know the race, it is an annual citizen's race held in Oslomarka. The
length is 42 km; the course profile is undulating and finishes higher
than it starts. The standard at the front end was pretty high then,
and probably still is.

Norwegian National squad members took the first three places in the
race. That would not be worthy of comment, apart for one thing. They
were members of the rowing squad, not the ski squad. (Current
National ski squad members were not eligible to enter. The
organisers made an exception for squads from places like Britain and
Denmark.) One of the rowers was definitely the multi-medalled Alf
Hansen, and I think his brother Frank was there too. I don't recall
the name of the third.

I haven't had the privilege of meeting the men. However, I have met
National squad rowers in Britain. The internationally successful ones
are typically at least 190 cm tall and weigh round about 100kgs. It is
highly probable that the rowers who won at Holmenkollen are built on
the same scale, so size is not an obstacle to ski-ing uccess. Elite
rowers are usually pretty lean too. I don't think it is necessary to
be very lean for rowing, but the volume of training means they have to
work hard at eating enough. Lean is good for skiing because fat is
just surplus weight to be carried uphill. So, if you are not fat,
then your weight is not necessarily a limiting factor.

Turning to the subject of your recent test; in my experience, fitness
tests are specific to the sport trained for. In my rowing days, the
club would test people's fitness on rowing and cycling ergonometers.
All were trained rowers, but only some of us cycled regularly. The
cycling results correlated firstly to how much we cycled, and only
when that was factored out, did they have some relation to our rowing
scores. So a running test may not tell you much useful, unless you
are planning to start running.

Anyhow, you sound promising. Some lessons might be a good idea. It is
easier to learn correct technique from the start, than try to
eradicate bad habits.

Happy ski-ing
Alex

I think Alf Hansen skied about 40 km each day during the winter. He was also
a good runner, but because of a rather heavy body, due to big rowing
muscles, he was not very good.

--
Terje Henriksen
Kirkenes