Loppets Mastered
Back in the July 2005 issue I described how I converting from a ‘Waymark skier’ to a ‘loppet racer’ in 2 months as I completed the 2005 Halvvasan in Sweden. What I didn’t mention was that on her return from having completing the Vasaloppet that same week Ellen-Ann bumped into her American doppelganger in Stockholm airport and found out about this thing called the ‘World Loppet Series’ and ‘World Loppet Masters’. Now, when you’ve all stopped laughing - Yes! Neither of us had ever heard of the WL Series or WL Masters!
However on researching it I noted, in particular, that completing a qualifying ski race was all that was required for it to count - considering my placing in the Halvvasan and that I didn’t die on the line this seemed a practical proposition for other ski races (despite most Gold ski races being longer!). Well I’m entered for the Vasaloppet (2006) which is the longest ski race in the series so may as well try for the Gold Master.
Now 10 out of 14 hmmm... well that means I can dump of the ‘overseas’ ones. Ahh, darn I have to do one. Well I can dump the one in Australia for sure; it’ll probably be Canada or USA. Well if you can’t hope to get fast times may as well get the series over with quickly, best way to guarantee I’ll complete it. 10 ski races in 1 year, um, do I have to list all the reasons why not? 5 per year, ooohh blimey you have to do skate races. Skate over 42km? Up hills? Are they serious?!? Well I could learn this year but that makes it more a 3 & 7 split - tough 2nd year. 3, 3, 4 over 3 years. Well 3, 4, 3 actually, leaves some slack in the last year for any previous scrubs due to illness, time-outs, cancelled races, over-sleeping on race day, inept planning etc. Looks like I can put off the skating until the end of the 2nd year and that’s the shortest race and everyone says it’s flat and well easy. Right, sorted.
WHAAATTTT?!?! I'm entered for the Vasaloppet. I can’t control a pair of rollers if my life depends upon it (which on my first roller tour it nearly did!) and skating (the little I’ve done) involves co-ordination and power that make Bambi look like a race horse (yep, I know he was deer, but you get the gist). Hey, I know, why not try completing 10 different supra-marathon ski races in 3 years?!....
3 years later and after many many hours of, amongst other things, inline skating, roller skiing, roller skiing courses, roller ski racing, snow skiing courses, circuit training sessions, rowing, swimming, running, photographing skiers, watching TV coverage of XC skiing, balancing on ‘fit cushions’/ fit balls, being taught by many generous tutors (some of whom, when you think about it, are immensely over qualified to teach an amateur like me) and a couple of ski races (obviously!) I became a World Loppet Master (Gold) on crossing the finish line of the Birkebeinerrennet (Norway) in March.
And as I look back down this particularly steep learning curve what bubbles through my mind?
- I like to think that the fact that in the first year I did the 42km Dolomitenlauf, followed by the 70km Marcialonga before the 90km Vasaloppet was part of a cunning training plan. Sadly it was just one of those coincidences!
- Getting the Vasaloppet out of the way early was a nice confidence boost for later ski races
- Why does nobody tell you how to change lanes in classic until after you've learnt in a ski race?
- Why does nobody mention to avoid energy gel packs in the track?!
- I can now nearly always get a reasonable nights sleep before a ski race
- The early breakfast before a ski race is still a chore
- I’ve nearly stopped getting manic about when the race bus leaves!
- Although I’ve got used to short skiers nipping through gaps my skis and size won’t allow without serious contact I haven’t got used to them moaning that the crowds are intimidating ;-)
- I make the logistics sound easy. They weren’t (although how you did this sort of thing before the internet...) and I’d never have done it in the time without other club members organising some of the trips.
- Yeah, a bit lucky. Only one ski race failure (it was aborted during the start), so I ended up doing 3, 3, 4 after all.
- Yeah, even more lucky. Total equipment damage (all by other skiers) 1 broken pole (Engadin) and 1 detached pole basket (Jizerská)
- Favourite (gold) ski race? Any of this year’s classics, probably Gatineau (but secretly the Birkebeinerrennet because you couldn’t hope for better conditions for a ‘last’ ski race )
- Least favourite (gold) ski race? Classic - Dolomitenlauf, 42km (well probably 30km) of screaming thighs (bad wax day!). Skate - Transjurassiene, ’nough said!
For those, who like me 3 years ago, don't know about the WL Series (and WL Masters) the site is:
www.worldloppet.com
And if you want to be a little less commercial then there are plenty of other ski races, try the ‘cross-country ski’ link at:
www.rollerski.co.uk
author: Alistair Brown WLM (2630, 2772*)
publish date: May 2008
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