Cross-country skiing in Langenfeld

Monday, December 30, 2024

I decided to try Cross-country (Nordic) skiing at Aqua Dome. I walked downstairs and rented some Salomon Classic Cross-country skis (25 euros/day) from Sunup Sports.

• Salomon Classic 173 cm skis (ski length is based on 80 kg weight)
• Salomon (44.5) boots
  
• Salomon poles

One of the Aqua Dome concierges explained where the cross-country trails were located, and I walked around the Aqua Dome (toward the river/stream). 

I found several cross-country skiers and followed them north over the bridge toward a large oval with nicely prepared cross-country tracks. (The whole area around Aqua Dome has multiple cross-country skiing tracks).

 

There were numerous cross-country skiers outside - more than I had expected. Most skiers used the newer skate-type skis and skated quite fast on the groomed surfaces.

 

I skied 7.42 miles for 85 minutes - not a bad effort for the first day of classic cross-country skiing. 

After skiing, I returned my Salomon skis, boots, and poles to Sunup Sports.

 

 

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

 

After breakfast, we decided to go cross-country skiing as a group. We walked downstairs to Sunup Sports (in our hotel) and rented 3 sets of Salomon cross-country skies with boots and poles.

 

 

 

We decided to ski a few miles to the same area where I skied yesterday. We skied 6.3 miles for 82 minutes. Alex had not cross-country skied for 10 years and had to re-learn how to ski. 

By the end of the hour, he started to get the hang of the diagonal stride technique on cross-country skies. The weather was perfect, just above freezing with clear blue skies and no wind.

 

 

We finished skiing around 14:00 and dropped off our skis in the bike/ski storage room.  

 

Here is a short video clip of Alex and Inna cross-country skiing:

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, January 1, 2025 

At 14:30, I stopped by the Sunup Sports downstairs and rented the following gear:

• Atomic Redster 173 cm Cross-country skating skis
• Atomic skating boots
• Atomic poles

I wanted to try skating on these skis (as I had seen most cross-country skiers doing). 

I put them on and tried skating the normal route. I immediately got extremely hot and had to stop to cool off. I decided to return to our hotel room, drop off the heavy winter coat, and switch out my socks for ski socks (the cross-country skating boots require longer ski socks).

After this change, I tried skating in the next village south of Aqua Dome and found skating much easier. I was no longer overheating, and my boots were no longer pinching me. Skating is faster, but it requires a bit of finesse to dig in each rail of the ski in the snow.

I returned to Aqua Dome and returned my rented skis to Sunup Sports. I skate-skied 5 miles in 87 minutes. It's going to take me some more time to learn to skate and ski properly.

 

Thursday, January 2, 2025

I decided to take advantage of the excellent weather and cross-country ski again. I rented skating cross-country skis and skied 6.26 miles for 76 minutes. After dropping off my rented skis, I rested in the room, while Alex and Inna visited the spa.

 

Saturday, January 4, 2025

We decided to try cross-country skiing at 14:00. We walked downstairs to the Sunup Sports shop and rented cross-country skating skis, boots, and poles. Inna also purchased a cross-country top to not sweat too much.

• Atomic Redster 180 cm with Atomic boots, and poles (for Boris)
• Atomic Redster 170 cm with Atomic boots, poles (for Inna)

Initially, I showed Inna how to skate on cross-country skis and she worked on the technique. When tired, she returned to the classic cross-country skiing technique. Inna made great progress in trying to learn the skating technique.

 

 

According to ChatGPT, these are the keys to smooth and powerful skating on skis:

1. Stance and Balance

• Keep your body upright with a slight forward lean, similar to how you would stand in a natural athletic stance.
• Your knees should be slightly bent, and your weight should be centered over your skis.
• Maintain a relaxed posture with your core engaged to help with stability and control.

2. The V-Position (Starting Point)

• Begin with your skis in a "V" shape, where the tips of the skis point outward and the tails point inward.
• This position provides a stable base from which to start your movements.

3. Glide Phase

• Push off with one ski: To start moving, push off with one ski while the other ski glides on the snow. The push-off is done by transferring your weight to one leg while the other is extended backward and gliding.
• The pushing leg should be angled outward, as you push at a 45-degree angle to the snow (not directly backward like in classic skiing).
• The glide phase of the ski will occur after you push off, with the gliding ski coming forward while you prepare for the next push with the opposite ski.

4. The Double Pole (Upper Body Movement)

• When skating on skis, you'll use your poles to assist with propulsion. The double-pole technique involves using both poles simultaneously as you push with your legs.
• As you push off with one ski, you will also push down on the poles at the same time to help propel you forward.
• The poles should be placed behind you and angled to provide support and drive.

5. Alternating Pushes

• Once you push off with one ski, bring it back and prepare to push off with the other ski.
• As you glide on one ski, your other ski should remain extended, and you alternate pushing from side to side.

6. Timing

• The movement involves a fluid rhythm between your legs and arms. The opposite arm pushes on the poles as one leg pushes off, creating a fluid movement that helps maintain momentum.
• Practice coordinating your legs and arms to avoid jerky movements. A good rhythm is crucial for maintaining speed and energy efficiency.

7. Recovery Phase

• After the push-off, the gliding ski comes forward to align with the pushing ski. The poles come forward as well, preparing for the next push. This phase is important for maximizing glide and minimizing drag.

8. Turning and Control

• To turn or navigate curves, you can shift your weight to the inside edge of the ski and adjust your body position to maintain control. Turns often require a slight edging of the skis and subtle pole use for balance.

Key Points to Keep in Mind:

• Proper glide: Try maintaining as much glide as possible between each push. A good glide is key to conserving energy.
• Strong push-off: Focus on using your legs and hips for a strong, angled push to maximize the distance and speed.
• Core engagement: Your core muscles play a big role in stabilizing your body and providing power during each stride.
• Smooth transitions: Keep transitions between the push-offs fluid, with little wasted movement.
  

Inna and I cross-country skied for 5 miles in 90 minutes, covering some new villages south of Langenfeld and forested areas we had never visited before. 

 

 

Sunday, January 5, 2025

 Before dark at 16:30, I wanted to skate on cross-country skis one last time. Once I finished soup and hot chocolate, I rushed to Sunup Sports to rent my skis. I had to wait about 20 minutes, as another family rented 4 pairs of skis.

I finally rented the following skating skis and boots:

• Skis: Atomic Redster RT 192 cm
• Atomic Boots
  
• Atomic Poles (extra long for better push-off)
  

This time, I got the very long Atomic Redster RT 192 cm skate skis and they were speedy. I could skate much faster than on the shorter 180 cm skis. I did not realize that 12 cm of extra length would make such a large speed difference.

 

Here are my Strava details:

 

I skated on my Atomic Redster skis for 8.62 miles in 76 minutes, hitting 8.5+ mph. I sweated a lot and got tired but was happy with my progress.

Links

• Aqua Dome
• Sunup Sports
• Langenfeld Cross-Country Skiing Trails
• Oetztal Region Langenfeld