SuperFlatbeiner Rollerski "Event" 50 Mile Club

The "whole enchildada" is supposed to be 50 miles, and it may well be.
I shoot for about a 3+ hour workout, so I turned around at a street
crossing at 1:37 into it. Nobody had a GPS. I am guessing that I may
have skied close to 60k. That is a wild guess based on pace. When I
skied solo back to the trailhead, I gave up 10 minutes, returning in
1:47. I estimate that I may have been 25 minutes from the end of the
trail / turnaround, but I was glad I turned when I did. I did as much
of that as I need right now. (read between the lines) It would be so
much more fun on snow. But I'm glad I did at least most of it.

GRNST (Grand Rapids, MI) - organized, the 2nd of two roller ski
events. Last week was the PinerBeiner, skied along a rails to trails
asphalt system called the White Pine Trail. It is roughly 30 miles,
from a point near one end, going south to the near end, back north to
the end of the asphalt, and continuing south back to the cars. This is
quite a pretty & scenic grade, deciduous forest, rivers, not much
civilization, wildlife. I got in a 22 mile DP workout which took 2:27
(& made it to church on time !).

Perversely, the SuperFlatbeiner is a particularly brain killing
exercise performed on an utterly straight, featureless and hill-free
grade. In fact there is a turn, and I do mean A Single Turn, and it
has a sign to warn you.

Nonetheless, as most of us are normally training alone, it is great
fun to be able to ski in a pack, and get used to clicking poles in
close proximity to others, as in wintertime. I'm sure I skied over
everyone's equipment at some point. Sorry guys. The conversation is
fun too.

Kalamzoo Nordic was represented in it's entirety with the Frontrunner
& Birkebeiner, plus we talked about O'Connel & his National Masters
admin work (poor guy). It was fun to ski with those guys for a while.
Those guys have been at it longer than they can remember, and they
always get themselves into Birkie Top 100 condition. Very impressive
athletes. Also had about a dozen other GRNST'ers there, who are close
enough to keep the K'zoo Train honest.

Oh, it's an event, you can't win an event. But that doesn't mean we
don't ski it like a race. Surges, breaks, gaps, bridges, and
post-race, I mean post-event "I beat so & so by 5 minutes" etc etc.
It's funny that you cannot get a group of skiers together to simply
run in a group for 3 or 4 hours without trying something out on the
others !

Ouch. Much loss of brain cells, but a beautiful day with temps in the 30's
and 40's with little wind.
I have skied it with a GPS and it is 50+ miles. Uphill and into the wind
both ways. By the way O'Connell, Jim Carey (the experimental human being),
and Pat Aldworth (the Prez) make up the complete Kalamazoo Nordic Racing
Team.

The FrontRunner


"Dell Todd" wrote in message
om...
The "whole enchildada" is supposed to be 50 miles, and it may well be.
I shoot for about a 3+ hour workout, so I turned around at a street
crossing at 1:37 into it. Nobody had a GPS. I am guessing that I may
have skied close to 60k. That is a wild guess based on pace. When I
skied solo back to the trailhead, I gave up 10 minutes, returning in
1:47. I estimate that I may have been 25 minutes from the end of the
trail / turnaround, but I was glad I turned when I did. I did as much
of that as I need right now. (read between the lines) It would be so
much more fun on snow. But I'm glad I did at least most of it.

GRNST (Grand Rapids, MI) - organized, the 2nd of two roller ski
events. Last week was the PinerBeiner, skied along a rails to trails
asphalt system called the White Pine Trail. It is roughly 30 miles,
from a point near one end, going south to the near end, back north to
the end of the asphalt, and continuing south back to the cars. This is
quite a pretty & scenic grade, deciduous forest, rivers, not much
civilization, wildlife. I got in a 22 mile DP workout which took 2:27
(& made it to church on time !).

Perversely, the SuperFlatbeiner is a particularly brain killing
exercise performed on an utterly straight, featureless and hill-free
grade. In fact there is a turn, and I do mean A Single Turn, and it
has a sign to warn you.

Nonetheless, as most of us are normally training alone, it is great
fun to be able to ski in a pack, and get used to clicking poles in
close proximity to others, as in wintertime. I'm sure I skied over
everyone's equipment at some point. Sorry guys. The conversation is
fun too.

Kalamzoo Nordic was represented in it's entirety with the Frontrunner
& Birkebeiner, plus we talked about O'Connel & his National Masters
admin work (poor guy). It was fun to ski with those guys for a while.
Those guys have been at it longer than they can remember, and they
always get themselves into Birkie Top 100 condition. Very impressive
athletes. Also had about a dozen other GRNST'ers there, who are close
enough to keep the K'zoo Train honest.

Oh, it's an event, you can't win an event. But that doesn't mean we
don't ski it like a race. Surges, breaks, gaps, bridges, and
post-race, I mean post-event "I beat so & so by 5 minutes" etc etc.
It's funny that you cannot get a group of skiers together to simply
run in a group for 3 or 4 hours without trying something out on the
others !

Kazoo Nordic..It's good to be fairly young....The GRNST boys whooped
me again this year...I tried to hang with Camp, Smeigel junior, and
the newest GRNST member the frontrunner (Dick if you're reading
this..we've lost the front runner to the GRNST boys) They toyed with
me as we worked our way to the turn around in Muskegon..We picked up
Christian Byer (sp) on the way to Muskegon and he reveresed his
direction did the ski to Muskegon and then went with us to Ravenna
before returning home....On the return trip the GRNST boys put the
hammer down and steadly pulled away ...eventually gooing out of sight
causing me to fall into my survivaal mode as I finished up the last
ten or so miles questioning my sanity and really feeling the 50 miles.
Rolling into the finish area I was met by Smeigel Senior who
immediately offered me a breakfast stout beer..which I quickly drank
causing me to pass out in the car on the way home.
Final recap on the 50 miler..For the guys who did the whole
enchilada..Smeigel Senior free skated and pulled away from the front
runner and Little Mr. Marker Camp..the front runner tried to reel back
in Smeigel but didn't quite accomplish the task as he finished up
second follwed closely by Don Camp..days later I arrived to find
everyone drinking beers and swapping stories...can't wait till next
year.
birkebeiner

...We picked up Christian Byer (sp) on the way to Muskegon
......Smeigel Senior free skated and pulled away ..days later I arrived
to find
everyone drinking beers and swapping stories...can't wait till next
year.
birkebeiner

Hey cool ! Byar showed up. How did he do - showing up fresh in a group
that was dwindling in power as the deca-miles clicked off ?

I think it musta Junior free skating away...

It was Senior with the Brain Crusher beer, or whatever that stuff is
called. I guess you could call it "Sleeping Pill Beer" !!

The Frontrunner makes excellent power in a subtle way. It's cool to
see how he does it.

Junior seems to be ahead of last year. Nearly at my turnaround, I
recall he finally took the lead, and he had everyone cease talking
pretty quickly. He did have some beads of sweat on his brow, but he
didn't look like he was applying any power, yet he was definitely on a
power surge.

It's Wednesday. I still "ain't right" I might be OK tomorrow though.