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Keski 25k Classic. View from the back.
I am not a racer. The Keskinada is my annual ritual. As Parham told me
once, you need a few things in life to anchor yourself. Perhaps the Keskinada is one of my anchors. My preparation this year consisted of skiing a long way on my over-waxed skis to determine the wax pocket, and scouting every corner of the trail in the two weekends before Keskinada. As a result, I have shortened my wax pocket by 2 to 3 inches! I was happy to find that I can stay in the tracks practically everywhere except in two places where I need to run uphill, herringbone style. Nowhere do I need to brake - I should be able to step turn every corner. It was perfect (blue extra) temperature. The start was delayed for 5 minutes. I had nothing to do so I scrubbed on another layer of blue extra. I was a bit worried because the day before, the temperature had risen up to 0 deg. But the wax appeared to be right at the start area. The siren went off and the mass of skiers went forward. Nothing unusual happened. No broken skis. No broken poles. And the wax felt right. Skiing up the short uphill chute was still O.K., even though I had to use more arms than usual. Then it snowed suddenly and heavily - I couldn't see more than 10m away. Oh, oh! A few weeks ago ice formed on my goggles and I had to take them off even though I could hardly see without my prescription goggles. As suddenly as the snow came, it disappeared. The track took a left turn up into the woods, trail #5 behind Pink Lake. This is where I have determined that I have just enough energy to first ski up in the track, then continue to run up in herringbone when it got steeper, and finally got back to the track near the top. Oh well. Forget about the planning. There was a long queue at the bottom of the hill. When it came to my turn, all I could do was to follow the train, slowly herringbone uphill. Mind you. I wasn't complaining. My legs were already turning soft. I love trail #5 behind Pink Lake. It is relatively narrow, just managed to accommodate two tracks. It is in the woods, sheltered from the wind. It's undulating. You really feel good skiing this part of the trail. You have to work hard at times but you feel you are really moving. However, this time, I had to worked really, really hard to stay in the tracks, and even had to herringbone when I thought I didn't have to. Oh no. The guy in front of me snowploughed - and that wasn't the steep part of the trail. I hate to snowplough. Other than wasting energy, it can take the wax right off my skis. I finally braked when my ski tips were practically under his body. The steep part came just before Pink Lake. A few years ago I fell there and caused a pile up. But I was prepared this time. I know that I can go all out and step turn around the corner. No such luck. There was a long queue again. I caught up with the skier in front snowploughing. This time I took the risky move to ski by the side of the trail and passed him. I was waiting with anxiety to see whether the wax was O.K. getting back on the Parkway near Pink Lake. There were multiple previous occasions that I got no grip at all coming down from the shielded #5 onto the sunny Parkway. Well. The wax wasn't perfect this time but was still O.K. Lucky me. I was more of a spectator than a skier for about 10 minutes. You see. This is where I, a wave D participant, can see the leaders coming back. I was trying to catch a glimpse of Becky Scott. No such luck! The black diamond part of #15 is the steepest part of the course. This time I had no excuse. The traffic was light by then and I could go as fast as I want. Alas, all I could do was herringbone slowly up. Finally, my scouting of the trail paid off. Trail #7 From McKenzie Estate back to the Parkway was undulating but mostly downhill. If you don't brake at all and carry your momentum, it is a real pleasure skiing there. I caught two skiers snowploughing. Both times I shouted "by your left" and managed to ski by without falling. Skiing down from Pink Lake on the Parkway, I usually crouched down quietly in the tracks, and let momentum carry me as far as possible, because there are typically no other skiers closed by. Well, this time was different. I had to step left off the track, only to find that it was much slower. Luckily there was just enough momentum to pass the skier. And I caught up with yet another skier continuing downhill. This time, avoiding the slow part to the left of the left tracks, I took the risky move trying to step into the right tracks. Lucky me, this is the first time I tried changing tracks going down Pink Lake and I managed to do so without falling. I always found doing classic on the Parkway tough, very tough. You can see a long, long way and it feels as if you're not moving at all. I was playing with my heart-monitor toy earlier in the season and found that I could be pushing harder on the flat part of the Parkway. I guess the toughness is more mental than physical. Back on to #5 near Asticou. I know this part of the trail better than my own backyard because Asticou is my usual starting point for skiing. There is this 25m incline right near the parking lot. I usual just ski up without thinking. Oh well. What a difference! I had to step off the tracks to go up this time. There is a longer and steeper hill about a km from the short incline. I had determined previously that I could stay on the track all the way. No such luck! I stepped off and hopped up, albeit very slowly. Well, I shouldn't complain. The skier who passed me on a beautiful diagonal stride earlier was back slipping badly, and I passed him, may be her, back. It was flat and then a slight downhill towards the finishing line. I was plotting to sneak up on the skier in front, double-pole hard, and let the moment carry me downhill to the finish line. I was embarrassed when she encouraged me to "Go for it!" when I passed her. I finished. A PB. Um. May be I don't know what the right wax feels like. I had my best time 2 years ago and then this year. Both years I felt like my wax was too slippery and and not enough kick. May be the experts who participated in the Keskinada classic can tell me their waxing experience. It was a great day overall. I even caught a glimpse of Becky Scott finishing her 5k classic. .... Mike |
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