going nordic = going ghay?

[huckbucket]

A friend introduced me to skate skiing. Required a little lube at first, but I found it pleasantly invigorating. Turned out to be a seriously good workout AND I can wear tights and still fit in. Bonus. Am I ghay now?

[iscariot]

Am I ghay now?

Now?

[Trackhead]

I've recently gotten back into it as well. I did my first nordic race at age 7, a 32 kilometer sufferfest for me at that age.

I've been skating this past month and like the change of pace, plus it's such a freakish workout compared to slogging in AT gear, that makes it refreshing to an otherwise stagnant level of fitness.

Trying to get in shape for spring crust tours, where people are doing what would normally take 4 days and chopping it down to one long day by skating instead of lugging AT gear.

I'm not sporting lycra though.

[huckbucket]

Seems to be really technique driven. Wasn't even feeling it in the legs until later in the session when I got more comfortable on such thin planks and could really push instead of just driving with the poles. Arms/shoulders/back/brown eye were really sore the next day.

[summit]

It's not ghay unless you are jib skating

[Trackhead]

Seems to be really technique driven. Wasn't even feeling it in the legs until later in the session when I got more comfortable on such thin planks and could really push instead of just driving with the poles. Arms/shoulders/back/brown eye were really sore the next day.

It also improves your dh skiing. After spending all day on 40mm sticks with wimpy boots, you certainly get good balance. Go back to 120mm waist skis and it feels pretty solid.

[thommy21]

A friend talked me into skate skiing a couple years ago and I really like it. Awesome workout. When I showed up at the Nordic Center the first time I'm sure I looked like a total skate ski gaper with my regular ski pants and jacket. Everone else was in their Swix gear and tights. Getting owned by a 60+yr old lady rolling past me on a uphill, while I flailed, was pretty funny too.

[Pablo Escobar]

I'm sure if I lived by a decent skating track I'd check it out. But screw dressing up like a rollerblader on his way to folsom street fair to ski around central denver.

[huckbucket]

It also helped that I've got mad skootch skilz

[lionelhutz]

It's awesome. Best workout there is IMO. Running + insane upper body workout.
Can't miss and you can pound out a few laps in the am before the lifts even start running.

Nothing gay about being in shape.

[narc]

I learned XC skiing years before alpine as a kid in Norway, once I got on alpine skis I remember thinking holy shit this is easy. It may be ghey but people do some silly stuff on them: http://www.freeride.se/videoawards2009/?video=205

It's a great low impact workout while also helping your balance. I'd rather work out on skis than anything else.

[CookieMonster]

Nordic skiing does not make you ghay, but awful feelings of ghayness can arise when your extremely fit, 60-year-old Mother passes you on the uptrack.

[hutash]

No more ghey then road cycling in Lycra...





Wait, road cycling is not ghey, right?

[GeezerSteve]

Am I ghay now?

Maybe. But that's got nothing to do with XC skiing.

Nordic skiing is every bit as manly as Alpine skiing. Maybe moreso. I skinny skied for 10 years before I locked the heels. I still skinny ski some. Had a nice stale pow vert tour on Saturday with GF and buds, then spent Sunday XC skiing with GF for Valentines Day.

[marshalolson]

being strong and fit is good for regular skiing too.

[Huckwheat]

It has been my bread and butter for the last 2 years......I have a 2 year old, and I pull him in a chariot (and ski with wife too)......then I get sub 10 days at Squaw (on big days). Here is my take:

--still is skiing, gives alot of the same winter enjoyment (cold, winter, gear, enjoyment).
--keeps you fit, keeps knees strong.
--Keeps me ready to go charge at Squaw....moreso than anything else I know (gym, bike, etc).

We are starting our kid on nordic too.....get him the skills with the: $$, hassle of big resorts, chill atmosphere. I think it will be good "training wheels".

[Alpinord]

Getting in touch with the Nord in you helps to round out your overall fitness and skiing skills. Often when the snow sucks for touring or alpine, skate skiing is a blast. There is nothing like 1/2" of corn on crust on field or lake. It's great for balance and edging as noted due to a smaller margin of error. Skating and classic workouts are total body and don't take much time, which is also a plus when short on time for other. XC skiing doesn't require as much snow and you can get out on skis more frequently earlier and later in the season.

If you hate the tights thing, wear looser workout pants and biking tops. You aren't necessarily going for speed and wind resistance doesn't really matter too much.

Out the back door for a 6 or 8k now.

On the kid front, I carried my kid in a pack for a couple years and he loved it. As soon as he could walk well, I put him on skis to clomp around on. This got him going much sooner on alpine and teles.

[johngenx]

I went nordic skiing on Monday (holiday here) and 90% of the skiers were youngish, fit, women in skin tight lycra. A hulluva good workout AND sweet ass-scenery? Win.

[summit]

It gets you far fast. I went XC today so I could go dig pits in a lot of locations.

[Jer]

I never got into skate skiing - something about having to have a groomed track doesn't appeal to me. Which is weird because I ski classic stride on groomed tracks all the time. But I know that when the zombie apocalypse comes I could easily just break my own trail.

...and I don't wear lycra either.

[huckbucket]

Whew!!! Thanks guys.

Sounds like I still like the ladies. That's a relief.

[hick]

I've really been wrestling with my gheyness this winter. My time lately has been split between pulling throttle on the sled, skate skiing and touring. I've recently cut out my lift serve. What is really worrisome is when I was riding my sled in to do some rooping and the access road gets groomed once a week and I'm thinking of skating. The sled could still be used for access to the sickter groomed as you want to get out of the windy flats and into the trees. MMMM sled access skating... The future.

[Trackhead]

I've really been wrestling with my gheyness this winter. My time lately has been split between pulling throttle on the sled, skate skiing and touring. I've recently cut out my lift serve. What is really worrisome is when I was riding my sled in to do some rooping and the access road gets groomed once a week and I'm thinking of skating. The sled could still be used for access to the sickter groomed as you want to get out of the windy flats and into the trees. MMMM sled access skating... The future.

Wow, you might need meds to cure that shit.

[LightRanger]

I've really been wrestling with my gheyness this winter. My time lately has been split between pulling throttle on the sled, skate skiing and touring. I've recently cut out my lift serve. What is really worrisome is when I was riding my sled in to do some rooping and the access road gets groomed once a week and I'm thinking of skating. The sled could still be used for access to the sickter groomed as you want to get out of the windy flats and into the trees. MMMM sled access skating... The future.

You should post this on TTips and see what kind of reaction you get.

And, I haven't skated in years, but I'm probably going to pick it back up here soon. I miss it for sure. Raced for a couple years in HS.

[sfotex]

I pulled out my skating stuff Monday and went up to Mill Creek with the doggy. Forgot how much fun it was.